New City: New Hope
by buffy46143
Summary: Clarke wanders toward the person she most hoped to avoid and encounters a new group of survivors that offer more than anyone in her situation could turn down for her people. The Old Ones have technology, medicine and a government much like Earth before the bombs. Experiences there can make or break a shaky alliance and the relationship between Clarke and Lexa. Clexa.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My first attempt at Clexa. It begins after the mountain and while I've done my best to stick to canon, I've taken some minor liberties. This is another of my long ones and is rated M for later chapters.

Chapter 1:

"Clarke, what are we going to do?"

"Clarke!"

"The mountain men have our people. What do we do?"

"Clarke, the grounders betrayed us. What now?"  
"Clarke!"

"Tell us what to do."

Solitude. That's what she needed. The words rang in her ears even days after leaving Camp Jaha. Her name had been turned into something other than a just a way to identify her. It became a plea for help; for guidance and for certainty that the path they were on was the right one. She closed her eyes and looked to the sky. The stars and moon lit it brightly illuminating the woods surrounding her. She longed to fall into a restful sleep, but knew it would not come. She'd had only a few hours of sleep since she'd watch the bodies fall to the ground inside the mountain. She'd watched them scar and burn and wither away on the screens and saw their battered bodies as she walked back outside. She breathed fresh air in that moment. She'd heaved herself into a tree because she could no longer stand. The stench from the people so recently alive and hopeful of their impending escape to the ground had taken her aback and made her wobbly and unbalanced. She knew though that her people were counting on her. She had to hold it together. The vomit she could feel emerging got stuffed back down and the sweat appearing in rapid fashion against her forehead got wiped away while she forced herself to stand up straight and issue orders as if she had any right to do so.

They'd obeyed her orders though. They always had. Ever since she was ushered from her cell and onto the shuttle and thrown down to the earth with the other 99 criminals, Clarke had been obeyed and respected as leader by one group or another until she finally became de-facto leader to them all. Even though her mother and Jaha and others had all arrived and attempted to take over with their old ark government, the people still followed her command.

Command. That word entered her brain as she stared at the sky and begged it to solve her problems just as her people had begged her to solve their problems. She never asked to be in charge. She never wanted the burden. It had been hoisted on her and she was still left wondering why.

She closed her eyes and rested against a sturdy tree trunk. Her jacket kept her warm these past few nights, but it was getting colder and she'd been too stubborn or too confused to go into camp and at least gather her belongings and rations before leaving. She clutched at it in an attempt to warm herself up, but the shivering started and she knew she'd need to do something if she was going to go on. The nights would get colder. Her food options would run out. She'd been living off of plants and drinking from the river she started following on day two. She could hear it still as she tried to think of good things.

Life on the ark with her parents. Her friends. Watching old sporting events and wishing she could feel the grass through her fingers and beneath her feet. Talking about what it would be like if she lived on the ground before the bombs. The feel of her father's arms around her whenever they embraced. The sounds of laughter from her mother when her father told a joke.

She smiled and drifted off into what would be sleep, but not a restful one. Those images from the mountain wouldn't leave her just because she needed to sleep. The last images that entered her brain were of her mother on a table being tortured into giving up her valued bone marrow and of Lexa, the Commander she'd trusted turning her back and walking away.

The sun rose slowly and an exhausted Clarke watched a squirrel climb up a tree while she waited for the warmth the rising would bring. Her hands felt almost numb as she rubbed them quickly together to produce what heat she could. She regretted her stubbornness, but she was too far from the camp to turn back and make it in time for it to make a difference. Her only choice was to continue on along the river. Maybe she'd find an abandoned car or home like the one Finn had found buried beneath rubble. Maybe she'd find more survivors of the bombs like the grounders who would welcome her into their village. Maybe she'd die out here.

She stood and wiped her jeans with her hands. She felt dirty and not just because it had been days since she'd really bathed, but because of the guilt that constantly washed over her. Her feet were blistered and her muscles were sore, but she had no choice but to continue. She found the river once again with her ears and walked toward it. She knelt on the edge and cupped her hands, drawing cold water at first to her face to wash away any dirt and wake up her body. She cupped them again and took a long drink. She took off her jacket and rubbed the water up and down her arms, daring not to get in because of what happened the last time Octavia tried to go for a swim. The water was shallow and she could see to the bottom, but she could also see fish following the current and had no idea if they were radiation fueled meat eaters. Her eyes looked ahead and saw the rock-lined shore as her best path. It would be harder for people to track her if anyone was trying.

She had no idea if anyone from the camp would try to follow and convince her to return. Part of her hoped Bellamy would follow or bring a team to find her. Maybe her mother would insist. The other part just wanted to be left alone. She knew the grounders were gone. They'd packed up their camp and returned to the capital. That much she knew when she passed by what used to be their camp, but a day after they'd betrayed the Sky People had turned into a burned trash heap of leftover and discarded items. She knew none of the grounders she knew would be following her, but there were others who never liked her or her people to begin with. They might try or other groups all together she knew nothing about. They might see a lone girl and attack. She still had her gun. It was safely tucked under her shirt. She felt it against her back as she walked. Her skin was almost rubbed raw in the spot. She sometimes just held it in her hand or shifted it to the front for some relief. She still had most of her bullets. The president of the mountain held the rest in his dead body on the floor of the mountain's control center.

She trudged along not knowing where she was going other than just away from everything she knew. She found berries to eat for a small lunch, but her stomach was growling demanding more food. She knew she'd have to find something of more substance soon or she wouldn't last much longer. She took another long drink from the river and then set off away from it to see what she could find.

It took several hours, but she felt a weak spot in the ground and heard a crack like glass. She backed up and knelt down next to the spot and dug her hands into the soft soil moving the leaves and dirt away to reveal what she first thought was another car window, but what was actually a sky light. She couldn't see much through the darkness below, but it looked like a house was beneath her feet. Not wanting to use her gun because that would attract unwanted attention, she found a rock large enough to break the glass, but light enough for her to carry and dropped it through watching the glass and the rock hit the floor a level below.

She jumped in not thinking about the risk and landed on her ankle. She winced in pain and clutched it only momentarily before looking around to figure out if she was safe. She stood and tried to put weight on the ankle and could tell it wasn't broken, but it was at least bruised or sprained. She thought of her mother and her ability to heal almost anything.

She looked around and limped in what appeared to be a living room long forgotten by the previous occupants. Sofas and a table and a television she'd only seen in pictures. Dust covered everything. There were magazines on the table that had withered and wilted with time. She walked toward what appeared to be the kitchen and began opening cabinets hoping for a miracle. She found none. The food that was once in this kitchen was gone. Others had come before her probably right after the bombs and taken all that was around. Though the place had no food, it was at least a shelter from the elements and a place she could find other supplies.

She found an old first aid kit that had long ago expired medicine. She took it anyway thinking expired medication was better than none. It did have a wrap she could use on her ankle until it healed and after wrapping it, she found a backpack that would work for carrying what she took. She walked into a bedroom and rifled through drawers and closets to find a few articles that could almost fit her and would keep her warm. They smelled of dust, but she could wash them in the river. She grabbed an old sleeping bag and another blanket and found a rope she used to wrap the two together and tied them to the backpack for easier carrying. She also found another gun. It was in a case along with a box of bullets. She took those too. Her stomach was aching now for something more than berries, but it was almost nightfall so it would have to wait.

She read old magazines about a time she'd only heard about from others and noticed books on a bookshelf. She took a few of them and sat them next to her backpack. Books were a luxury on the ark. She'd noticed many of them in the mountain, but she'd only been there a short time and never got a chance to read one. They would help her pass the time on her walks until she found somewhere to settle.

Yes, that was the idea. She would find her own little place. There would be no more war or blood. No more death. Just her and her solitude. She could do that. She could be alone. She'd spent a year in solitary confinement on the ark. She'd gotten used to her own thoughts. She could do that. It would be better than her other life.

She slept in the bed with a musty pillow and sheets, but despite the images that continued to haunt her, she was able to sleep better than before. When the sun rose in the sky, the light shone through the skylight as she imagined it once did when people lived here. She took a moment to walk around once more to see if there was anything else worth taking that she could carry. Feeling satisfied that she'd scavenged all she could; she took a ladder she'd found in what used to be the garage and placed it under the skylight. She put the backpack on and made sure the sleeping bag was firmly attached. She climbed up and out into the sunlight to begin the walk back toward the river to clean her new clothes and drink some water before continuing on.

She found more berries and devoured every one on the bush before taking the two empty bottles she found at the house and filling them with water. Her backpack was even heavier with them now, but she'd be able to cover more ground with water she could take with her.

Another day of walking, another day of exhaustion and near starvation. She knew it was time. She waited until she was desperate and worried about her survival before she pulled out her gun and looked for something she could shoot to eat. It was risky not just because of the noise, but because she had no idea if these animals were okay to eat or if one bite could kill her. She'd seen what the radiation had done to some of them, but she had no choice. She saw another squirrel and it had no visible damage. It took a bullet to the tail, which wasn't enough to kill it, but it fell from the tree and Clarke took care of the rest. She had a knife from the house and used it to clean it up as best she could and then set about starting a small enough fire. She knew she would never be able to eat raw squirrel so she'd have to take another risk and let the smoke from her fire rise above the tree line. Maybe someone would see it. Maybe they wouldn't, but as she finished eating the squirrel and laid down by the warm fire, she decided not to care about what might happen as a result.

Sleep came and went and she again woke with the sun, packed her gear and walked on. She shot another squirrel mid-day and ate half and carried the rest with her for later. She stopped by the river as needed to refill her water and she had to admit that as much as this was a struggle, she was actually starting to get used to it. Her ankle was still hurting and she had to stop and rest more than usual and with all the walking it wasn't getting any better, but it wasn't getting any worse. She probably should have stayed in that house, but there was no food. The skylight was her only entry and exit point, which made it unsafe and she still felt the need to be further and further away from Camp Jaha.

It was then that she heard the sounds of a branch cracking. She stopped immediately and turned around. Her skull was met with a hard object and everything went dark. Her head was pounding in pain. She opened her eyes slowly at first as she came to and noticed she was moving. Her hands were tied behind her back. She was lying in a cart of some kind being pulled by a large man dressed like a grounder, but not. He wasn't dressed like a warrior. He carried no weapon. He must have hit her with a tree limb or a rock. She couldn't tell if she was bleeding, but she didn't think she was. She just knew her head hurt and now that she wasn't pushing herself to walk through the pain, she could feel stabbing in her ankle. It was definitely swollen and she'd done herself no favors by not resting it properly. The grounder pulling the cart was dressed in a fur and had no visible tattoos she could see. He had short, dark hair and pulled her quickly through the woods.

Just as she was about to ask who he was or where she was going, he dropped the two handles of the cart and it abruptly stopped. Pain shot through her head and her foot, but she lifted herself up anyway and looked ahead. In front of her was the last place she wanted to be. It was worse than Camp Jaha. She'd never been here, but it had been described to her well enough to know that she was in the capital.

"Lexa." She said to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Before her, she saw a city. It wasn't like the cities of old earth she'd seen in photos and film, but if a city is someplace where a lot of people are trying to squeeze into a small space, this was a city by that definition. It was as if they'd tried to locate a place with the least amount of damage after the bombs so they could try to recreate what once was.

There were tall buildings that were dilapidated. Stories were missing at the top, but the ones that remained were mostly open to the outside. Clarke guessed those buildings were lined with windows and the glass breaking left the floors open to the elements. People were clearly living in some of them or working in them. She wasn't sure which as she tried to take it all in from her bound position inside the cart.

There were homes leftover from the past that people were coming in and out of. Most of them looked like the man who had been pulling her. Grounders, but not warriors. Lincoln had told them all that only the warriors spoke English. Clarke and her people had only ever met the warriors. It dawned on her that the society here was made of up everyday people. There were probably people here who had never seen battle; never held a weapon.

The man walked over to another man who did have a weapon. It was a sword and it was carried close to his side with his hand pressing against it. Both of them looked her way and fear came over her as she worried about what they were going to do. She never should have used that gun, but she was starving and had no choice. She heard them talking, but didn't speak enough of the language to understand what they were saying. She tried to escape the binds, but there was no use. Even if she could get out of whatever was tying her hands together, her ankle injury meant it would be impossible to run away. Instead she just looked around, trying to take in as much as she could. If they didn't kill her right away, there was a chance she could find a way out later.

The man picked up the cart and pulled it along down what looked to be the main street of the city while the man with the sword followed behind them. The cart was dropped near a building that looked like it had once been a larger house. It looked as if it had existed in some way prior to the bombs going off, but that someone or maybe a group of people had taken parts from one house and added them to another and then covered it with tin sheets and other things to make it weather proof and livable. The man with the sword walked ahead and opened the door. The man pulling the cart just walked off into the crowd of people in the street.

"You will come here." The warrior ordered.

"I can't." Clarke explained. "He tied me up and my ankle-"

The man interrupted her with a grunt and walked over to help lift her out of the cart. He didn't untie her hands or offer to help her walk though.

"Now." He stated.

"Where am I?" She asked. "Is this the capital?"

"You will go." He pointed with one hand while gripping his sword with the other.  
"Fine." Clarke acquiesced.

She walked up three stairs and through the open door. The man followed her and closed the door behind her.

"You will see our Commander. She will decide your fate, wanderer."

"Lexa?" She asked with both worry and excitement in her voice. At least she knew Lexa. She had no idea if Lexa's special treatment of her would extend now that the alliance between their two groups had been broken, but it would be a familiar face.

The hallway was dark, but lit with candles and some light from the outside windows that were mostly covered. To the right was a room that appeared to be a war room like the one they'd had at camp. There was a giant table with maps resting on it.

A few hobbles later, Clarke saw a room on the left. It appeared to be the kitchen. Food was sitting on an old counter and something was cooking in a big pot on the stove. Her stomach growled and she wished she could eat everything in sight. They made their way to stairs and crept up them. They'd been repaired over and over with different types of wood. Once she made it up the stairs and received a shove from the man, it dawned on her that she hadn't seen anyone in the house and she was alone with this man.

She started to think about how she could get out of the situation if she had to make a move and came up with nothing that would actually work. She stood in front of a closed door. The warrior still said nothing in reply as the door opened. There was a throne similar to the one she'd seen Lexa sit in many times before against the back wall of what used to be a bedroom. There were tables lining both sides of the room that had odds and ends strewn over them. Then, there was Indra sitting in that throne where Lexa should be.

Fear and worry spread over her, but this time these feelings weren't for herself, but for the commander who should be sitting in that chair.

"Sky Girl." Indra greeted with slight malice.

"Indra? Where's Lexa? What happened?" Clarke begged to know.

"You don't ask questions, Sky Girl. You were trespassing on our land while the alliance between our people is broken."

Clarke's breathing quickened. Indra was never a big fan of the alliance and she was definitely not a fan of Clarke's. Indra really only liked Octavia, but then Octavia betrayed her or at least in her mind she did.

"Heda?" Clarke began in an attempt to show respect. "I didn't mean to trespass. I had no idea where I was going."

"You were armed!" She yelled and the warrior dug her two guns out of his fur and tossed them on the ground along with the knife. The rest of her supplies were left in the woods when she was taken including her father's watch, which she'd so stupidly kept inside the backpack. Finn died because of that watch, she thought to herself.

"I left my people, Heda. After what happened, I left. I had the gun on me. I found the other one. I was only using them for protection and to shoot animals for food."

"How am I to trust that? The alliance was broken when Heda chose our people over you. You must feel revenge in your bones, Sky Girl." She stood.

"I don't." Clarke acknowledged. "I don't feel anything toward your people." It was the truth. She harbored no ill will toward the grounders. It wasn't their decision to leave and they were suffering too and long before the ark ever crashed down to earth.

"What to do with you…" Indra pondered as she took a few steps toward Clarke. She looked down to see that Clarke's weight was balanced awkwardly. "You're injured?"

"I hurt my ankle, but I'm okay." She didn't mention the pain in her head from being struck. Indra walked around Clarke as if examining her for some reason. "Indra, if you want to kill me, just do it." She stated and meant it. She'd never been the suicidal type, but death would mean the pain would finally end. She was hoping to be spared the death of a thousand cuts that she'd watched Raven almost endure and prevented Finn from having to die from.

"Oh, you want to die now?" Indra teased. There was something about that mocking tone that made Clarke question her previous statement.

"If you're going to do it, please just tell me what happened to Lexa." It was all she could think to say. She no longer cared about herself and her people were safe back at the camp. The only remaining lingering thought and worry was of Lexa.

"The Commander returns from a hunt tonight. I rule in her stead." She admitted and took her seat back on the throne. "And I don't think she'd like me to kill her pet Sky Girl."

Lexa was okay. Clarke sighed.

"Thank you." Clarke acknowledged the gift Indra had reluctantly given her.

"You shall remain bound and we will hold you until Heda can determine what to do with you. Take her." She ordered the warrior. Clarke hated the idea of remaining caged, but she had no choice but to listen to Indra. As she was turned and walked out the door by the man, she heard Indra shuffle behind them. "Clarke of the Sky People…" She started and Clarke turned. "What of Octavia?" She asked standing in front of the throne.

"She's fine." Clarke replied with a small nod. "She was protecting her brother, Indra. She only did what she thought-"

"Take her away." Indra commanded, but not in the same authoritative voice as before. It was more about her not wanting to her Clarke's reasoning for Octavia's behavior back at the mountain. Clarke suspected Indra had a heart, but her worrying over Octavia's life confirmed that she, like her commander, did have one. It was just used sparingly.

Clarke was taken out of the building and into another one close by. She was led into a room that had a bed and not much else. The warrior who'd escorted her closed the door as soon as she was inside the room and she suspected he was standing guard just outside it. She stood for a moment and looked around trying to see if there was a way out, but the one window in the room had been boarded up on the inside and there was no way she'd be able to do anything about it with her hands still tied behind her back. The only thing she could do was wait. She had no idea what time it was or what time Lexa would return and get to her to determine her fate as Indra had put it. She sat on the edge of the bed to take the weight off her ankle and she really wished she had an ice pack to help the swelling go down, but there was nothing she could do about that now. After what felt like a long time, she finally laid down uncomfortably on her back with her arms still behind her. She thought about asking the guard to tie them in front of her instead, but decided against it. He probably wouldn't anyway. She shifted a few times to try to get comfortable and eventually fell asleep.

When she woke, she didn't know how much time had passed, but the little bit of light that was coming from between the boards on the window earlier had disappeared. She sat herself up and looked to her right where the door was and nothing had changed.

"Hello, Clarke."

She turned to her left and saw her sitting there. She was stripped of her warrior gear and make up. She looked like any other girl Clarke would have encountered on the ark, but she wasn't. She was the Commander.

"Lexa." She whispered without really understanding why.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Lexa stood and walked over to the bed where she sat. Clarke tried to move uneasily away from her, but the bed was small and there was nowhere to go. Lexa half-smiled. Clarke shifted herself so she was sitting up and she watched as Lexa pulled out a knife. She tried not to flinch, but there was worry in her eyes.

"You think I'm going to hurt you?" Lexa sounded concerned that Clarke would believe that.

"I don't know." Clarke responded.

Lexa reached over and leaned in. The knife went around Clarke's back and she felt the ropes binding her hands give way. She was free.

"Yes, you do." Lexa replied and leaned back to look at the other girl.

"Not anymore." Clarke rubbed her wrists as if that would help with the pain.

"Our healer can help with your injuries. I'll send for her and have her meet us." Lexa stood.

"I'm fine." Clarke was definitely stubborn.

"Your ankle needs attention, Clarke. Can you walk?"

"Why? I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not staying here, Clarke. Come on." Lexa tried to help her up, but Clarke put out her hand.  
"I can stand on my own."

"Okay." Lexa replied.

She opened the door and Clarke walked through it and past her. Lexa motioned for her to follow. Clarke limped less since she rested her foot, but the ankle was still in pain. She watched as Lexa walked in front of her until they were out of the house. The guard remained in the house. It was then that Clarke knew if she wanted to leave, Lexa would let her. She considered asking, but knew she wasn't in any condition to leave. Her ankle and head both still hurt, she was starving and had no supplies. The street was almost empty. Warriors lined most of the buildings keeping guard and there were lanterns lighting paths down what Clarke would call alleys off the main capital street.

Lexa slowed her pace and began walking beside Clarke instead. She occasionally looked over trying to gauge Clarke's reaction and Clarke did the same, but neither of them said anything. They walked down an alley and Clarke could just make out the sound of the river. Of course the city was near a river. They'd need a water source.

"Where are we going, Lexa?" Clarke finally asked when they passed yet another guard. They were getting more and more frequent the further along they walked.

"We're here." Lexa motioned toward a house. Clarke looked at the others surrounding it and it was in the best condition of the others near it. "Come on. You can sleep here." As they approached the front French door, two guards opened them and Lexa took a step in. Clarke followed and Lexa's hand went to the small of her back to help her inside. Clarke decided not to say anything.

"Where are we, Lexa?" Clarke asked when they entered the giant foyer with a staircase immediately ahead.

"We're at the Commander's house."

Clarke looked at her.

"This is your house?"

"We don't always live in tents, Clarke. When war calls for it, it's necessary, but when it doesn't we have homes like this one. Are you hungry?" Lexa asked and turned to look at her. Clarke looked into those deep blue eyes that seemed lighter without the dark makeup Lexa usually has illuminating them.

Clarke didn't want to admit she was starving and had probably lost 5-10 pounds since leaving her camp about a week earlier, but she really didn't have a choice.

"Yes." She admitted reluctantly.

"Come." She followed Lexa into a large kitchen where there was produce sitting on the counter and bread next to it. "Take whatever you want. I'll have the healer here soon." She walked out of the kitchen and Clarke wasn't sure if she was coming back or if she should just start eating. She didn't care to wait and she dove right into the fruit and started tearing at the bread. She was sure she'd never been this hungry. By the time she'd finished nearly an entire loaf of the dense bread, a woman was standing in the doorway of the kitchen next to Lexa.

"Clarke, this is Atami, our healer. She will see to your ankle and any other injuries." Lexa watched as Clarke stared first at Atami and then back at Lexa suspiciously. "You can trust her." Lexa confirmed. Clarke's expression remained the same. Lexa took a step toward her. "The decision was made with my head, not my heart."

It was an echo of her statement at the mountain after she'd betrayed the Sky People in favor of getting the grounders out of the mountain instead. Clarke understood her meaning in this moment even if she still wasn't sure of what it meant the last time Lexa had uttered it. "Atami doesn't speak your language, but she will see you to your room."

"Fine."

Clarke took a piece of fruit for later and walked toward the two women. They parted for her and then Lexa walked both of them to a room on the first floor of the house and ushered them inside. The healer said nothing, but opened a pack she had brought with her and spread out her supplies, which looked like herbs and other items taken from the woods and molded into medicines. There were also wraps and other items mixed in.

"This is your room. You're free to stay here as long as you want." Lexa told her while Clarke sat on the edge of the bed. The healer muttered something to her. "She wants you to lie down." Lexa translated.

Clarke complied and rubbed her wrists again. The healer began her work while Lexa watched from the doorway and spoke only when she translated. Clarke kept her eyes on the healer's hands as she worked and had to admire her skill. She put some kind of rub on her bruised wrists that helped with the pain and irritation. She put a wrap dipped in something on her ankle and the swelling started going down almost immediately relieving much of the pain. It rivaled any of the medication her mother or other ark doctors would be able to provide. When she was done, she gave Clarke a leaf and nodded her head. Clarke held it between her fingers while the healer spoke with Lexa in their shared tongue and then packed her belongings to depart. When they were alone again, Lexa finally walked into the room and sat in a chair next to the bed.

"She wants you to chew on that."

Clarke looked at her and then at the leaf.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, it's to help with your head. It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Your man hit me over the head with something and dragged me here, so yeah. It hurts." Clarke confirmed and then shoved the leaf into her mouth unceremoniously and started chewing. It tasted like a leaf and something that had been burned to a crisp. She spat it out into a cup after only a few seconds.

"I am sorry, Clarke. That man didn't know who you were. He assumed you were an enemy."

Clarke looked at her.

"Am I?"

Lexa looked back at her thoughtfully.

"I don't want you to be." She stood. "Rest now. There are more leaves next to your bed. If your pain returns, chew on them for more a few seconds, Clarke. I will return in the morning to check on you."

"Am I free to go?" Clarke asked.

Lexa turned back toward her. She appeared to be contemplating how to respond. If anyone knew how stubborn Clarke could be, it was Lexa.

"You are no prisoner, Clarke of the Sky People. If you wish to leave, you may do so at any time. I will not stop you." She left quickly and closed the door behind her. Clarke wasn't sure what to make of that.

She looked over at the pile of nasty leaves on the bedside table and decided not to chew on another one despite the fact that the throbbing in her head had dissipated slightly. She needed more sleep. She ate the piece of fruit she'd taken from the kitchen and rolled over on her side, carefully laying the wrap back on her ankle so it could continue its healing effects.

The nightmares started almost immediately. The dead bodies reappeared. Maya being held by a heartbroken and confused Jasper. Raven on the table screaming for the pain to stop. Her mother doing the same. It was the sound of the bullet hitting Dante that woke her from the terror. She saw his body fall and jutted out of bed.

"Are you okay?" It was Lexa's voice. She jumped out of the chair at the same time Clarke woke. She ran to the bed and sat down next to Clarke who was sweating and breathing heavily. "Clarke?"

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Lexa explained. She held her hand up to Clarke's forehead as if checking for a fever.

"I'm fine. I just…" Clarke faded as she looked into Lexa's eyes through the darkness of the room and found concern there. She'd trusted this girl before. She wasn't sure how much she should trust her now.

"Nightmares?" Lexa asked.

"Do you get them too?" Clarke asked.

"What happened at the mountain, Clarke?" Lexa dodged the question.

"You had scouts remain behind, didn't you? I know you know what happened."

"True, but I'd like to hear it from you." Her hand slid to Clarke's cheek and then fell in her own lap.

"I see them." Clarke started. "I see the bodies of the people I killed." She paused. Lexa was listening intently. "They were innocent. Most of them had nothing to do with what was happening. Some of them even tried to help us and I killed them."

"You did what you had to do to-"

"Save my people?" Clarke interjected. "I know, Lexa. I don't need another lesson in leadership from you." She expressed rather harshly, but Lexa just kept staring at her.

"My nightmares are of my people being tortured by the mountain men. I see Anya in a cage even though I never went inside the mountain myself. I've heard from those we saved what it was like and I see it when I close my eyes and wish I could have done something sooner to save more of them. I see their pain, Clarke. I feel it." Lexa paused before placing her hand over Clarke's. "I have dreams of you too."

Clarke looked down at her hand covered by Lexa's. She'd thought of that moment many times since it happened. She'd thought of the kiss and how in that moment right before their lips connected, she was both terrified and excited and once they were kissing, she thought of only how it made sense. The two of them kissing made sense to her. Their lips melted together and though it was brief, it felt passionate and necessary and Clarke only broke it up because she knew she needed time. She needed to get through the war and get passed Finn. She thought about if they got through all of that, maybe there could be something between them. When Lexa had asked her to go to the capital with her after the battle, she didn't know what to say because there might not be an after the battle for her and she couldn't think of that then, but if she had been completely honest with herself, she would have said yes.

"Lexa…"

"I dream of the look on your face when I left you in front of the mountain."

"I trusted you, Lexa."

"And I you."

"Why?"

"Because of the nightmares, Clarke." She paused and then rubbed her thumb over Clarke's hand. "You've been having yours since that night. I've had mine my whole life. They had your people for a fraction of the time they've had mine. It has always been on my shoulders to find a way to get my people out of that mountain as it was the burden of the Commanders before me. The nightmares come and go. Sometimes they are worse than others, but they never go away entirely. I had the chance to end them. To end their pain and mine and I took it and I _am_ sorry that I hurt you and that I risked your people, but I am not sorry for taking the deal to save mine." Lexa explained what she'd failed to explain that night. Clarke pondered this as she felt Lexa's calming touch on her hand. "Can you forgive me?"

"I… I can understand you." Clarke gave her without really answering her question.

Lexa shared a soft smile and pulled her hand back. Clarke missed the touch immediately, but didn't dare ask for it to return.

"Would you like me to get you something to help you sleep? The healer provides it to me regularly. It works sometimes."

"No, I have enough medicine in my body right now."

"Would you mind if I kept watch over you?"

Clarke considered this and realized she didn't want to be alone. All those nights, she thought about how nice it was to be on her own. She was away from people who wanted and needed things from her. She enjoyed that solitude she'd craved for so long, but now with Lexa here not asking anything of her other than to stay and watch her try to sleep, she realized she wanted someone with her.

"No, but don't sit in that chair. Just lie here." She motioned to the spot on the bed next to her as she placed her head back on the somewhat comfortable pillow.

Lexa hesitated at first, but once Clarke closed her eyes, she let out another small smile and lay down beside her clasping her hands over her stomach and staring at the ceiling. Clarke's nightmares returned, but she didn't wake. She just kind of shook a little. Lexa wasn't sure if she should do anything, but after several minutes of watching Clarke suffer, she reached her arm over her body and pulled her into her. She rested her head on Clarke's shoulder and tried to hold her through the nightmare to make it go away. After a few more minutes, the shaking subsided and Clarke seemed to be okay. Lexa waited even longer before finally giving into sleep herself.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

The light shone brightly through the first floor room when Clarke awoke. She had a distinct memory of falling asleep with Lexa beside her, but the girl wasn't there at the moment. She checked on her ankle and noticed the swelling was all but gone. The pain was barely registering. Her wrists were looking okay as well, but her head was still throbbing enough to require her to give in and chew on the leaves the healer had left her. She put one between her teeth and chewed quickly hoping the medicinal purposes of the leaves would work as long as she just chewed the thing to bits even if it didn't take too long. She held on for as long as she could and then spat it into a cup and took a long drink of water from another one left for her on the table next to what she assumed was her breakfast.

She ate quickly again to fill her stomach and stood, testing her ankle lightly at first until she could put full pressure on it and walk around the room with little problem. The door was still closed and she wasn't sure if she should open it, but after some time, she decided she wanted to test Lexa's words last night about her night being a prisoner. She opened it and saw the empty hallway. There were no guards; it appeared, outside her door. She took a few more steps toward the kitchen, which was empty. The bright sun through the expansive windows caused her to squint her eyes. She opened the back door and was greeted by the sounds and sight of the river she'd been following for days.

Here though, it wasn't rushing. It was slowed by a makeshift dam that was off to the back right of the house. Clarke started to take it all in. The back of the house butted up almost right against the river. She turned to look at the house and part of it appeared as if it had been buried at one point under a mountain of dirt and rubble. They'd repaired what was needed and the river ran past all that and into what looked like an old, underground pool in the back yard. Clarke had heard of pools on the ark. People used to swim in them for fun. The river was washing right over this one and when it was higher during rain, the pool would probably be obscured, but she could see the remnants just fine now. The water was clearer here too. She could see only minimal vegetation in the space of the pool and it looked as if someone tended to it regularly.

"It's the best kept secret of the capital." Lexa's voice came from behind her.

Clarke didn't turn around. She just looked on at the bit of forest beyond the pool that would cover it from view from any other direction.

"Perks of being the commander." Clarke replied.

Lexa walked up and stood right beside her.

"There are no perks to being the Commander, Clarke. I think you know that better than anyone." Clarke looked over at her and met her eyes.

"Where did you go?" She asked the girl with the dark make up back around her eyes.

"I had business to attend too. I left you with two of my best warriors. They patrolled the grounds while I was away."

Clarke looked back over the river and pool.

"I should probably go." Clarke said, but really didn't mean. She had to admit she wasn't ready to leave this place.

"Where will you go, Clarke? Back to your camp?" Lexa asked, turning toward her. "You're safe here. You can stay here as long as you want. I can get you a dwelling of your own if you prefer." It wasn't rushed how she said it, but there was a sense of desperation in her voice.

"Do you know if your man brought my pack in after he took me?" Clarke asked her without responding to her statements.

"I'll send someone into the woods to retrieve it." Lexa replied and turned back toward the house.

"Don't worry about it. Just point me in that direction. I'll pick it up as I go. My weapons?"

"I can have those brought to you when you leave."

Clarke looked over at her.

"I'm leaving now, Lexa."

Lexa nodded her understanding, but had no emotion on her face.

Clarke began walking back into the house, but Lexa remained in her spot.

"Clarke?"

"Yeah?" Clarke turned.

"Would it have been different?" Lexa requested and turned to face the other girl.

"Would what have been different?"

"You know what I ask." Lexa didn't explain.

"I don't know." Clarke answered. "I can't say what would have happened because you didn't give me the chance." She thought back to that night again, the one that haunted her every night and considered what might have happened had the grounders stayed and helped fight. She felt the anger brewing inside her. "You left me, Lexa. You didn't leave my people. You left _me_. You asked me to come here after we beat them and you left alone instead."

"Clarke…"

"You left me and I had to-" Clarke stopped herself. "I had to…"

"You had to make the decision to sacrifice those people." Lexa completed Clarke's thought.

"I killed them!" Clarke yelled in her direction. She walked back toward Lexa and Lexa started backing up, not knowing Clarke's intentions.

"You sacrificed them for the good of your people, Clarke. You made the same decision I did. Admit it to yourself that you don't regret it."

"I'm not your subject, Lexa. I don't take your orders."

"You wouldn't take my orders even if you were of my people. Just admit it to yourself, Clarke. You made the right decision."

"Don't tell me-" She stopped herself again and found herself so infuriated with the girl in front of her that she pushed her backwards.

Lexa couldn't keep her footing and fell back into the overflowing pool of water. Clarke stood at the edge. Lexa emerged from the water with make up flowing down her cheeks and into the water.

"Do you feel better now?" She asked Clarke and wiped her face to try to get the rest of the black off.

"No." Clarke answered and then laughed at herself. "No, I don't." She knelt down by the water's edge and held out her hand for Lexa to take so she could help her get out. "I'm sorry." She laughed a small laugh and watched as Lexa smiled. Lexa rarely smiled, but even so Clarke had gotten used to the smiles she employed when she did. This one was different. This one was mischievous. Clarke almost rescinded her hand, but Lexa took hold of it before she could and yanked her down into the water with her.

"That's cold!" Clarke screamed as she emerged from the freezing water. "God, how are you standing this right now?" She asked Lexa who was still laughing. It was then that Clarke realized she wasn't sure she'd ever heard Lexa really laugh before. There had never been cause for laughter during their alliance. She decided she liked the sound and the image of her happy.

"Come here." Lexa pulled Clarke close. "Sorry, you brought it on yourself, Sky Girl." Lexa was still smiling and rubbed Clarke's shoulders up and down in an attempt to warm them up. Clarke had left her jacket inside so she was wearing her tattered short sleeve shirt that hadn't been washed in weeks probably. She looked at Lexa who was engaged in trying to warm her up and she resisted the urge to leap out of the water and warm up inside because it actually felt good being this close to her again. She thought about what it would be like to kiss her again and in that same thought tried hard to figure out if she was ready. There were so many emotions connected to this person. Moments of joy were rare between them, but they did exist and she focused on them while she watched Lexa's make up continue to drip off into the water. She saw a blackened droplet resting on her chin about to fall and she reached out with her thumb to wipe it away.

Her hand remained in that spot and Lexa's eyes connected with hers. She knew somehow that Lexa wouldn't try to kiss _her_ again. She'd respected the last time when Clarke told her she wasn't ready. She wouldn't push. Clarke would have to be the one to instigate it if it was to ever happen again. Lexa's hands stalled on her elbows and drifted down to her hips to rest there. They were only about a foot apart when Clarke took a step toward her. She thought about Lexa's question from last night. Could Clarke ever forgive her?

"Heda! You're needed in command." It was Indra. She was running outside toward the pool.

Lexa pulled away immediately and shifted her glance in Indra's direction.

"What's wrong?"

"The Old Ones were seen not far from one of our outposts."

Lexa walked past Clarke and climbed out of the pool. Clarke followed and watched as Indra gave her a deadly stare.

"Nice to see you again, Indra." She taunted.

"You're lucky the Commander returned when she did, Sky Girl. I was ready to-"

"Indra! Enough!" Lexa ordered. Indra handed her commander a fur coat. "Clarke is not a prisoner and is free to roam however she wishes. Understood?"

"Yes, Heda." Indra responded with venom in her tone.

"Who are the Old Ones?" Clarke asked and ignored Indra's comment.

"I'll explain when I return." Lexa offered and took a step toward her. "I'll have clothing brought for you and Atami is set to return to check on you later." She reached out her hand and grazed Clarke's with it. "Please do not depart until I return."

Clarke nodded that she wouldn't. Lexa and Indra headed off and Clarke was left standing near the pool and its freezing cold water that had actually started to warm the longer she was in it. She'd never felt comfortable trying to swim in the river, but this looked okay and if Lexa was comfortable in it, she'd be fine. She jumped back in and emerged herself under the cold water. It felt nice actually. It felt like the world around her was gone. The needs and wants expressed by others disappeared the moment her head went beneath the water. It felt cleansing. It felt like renewal.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: As always, the favorites, alerts and reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 5:

The healer arrived a short time after Clarke went back inside and she redressed the ankle and told Clarke via gestures and attempts at English words to stay off it for the rest of the day if she could to allow it to completely heal. She left more leaves for Clarke's head, but the pain was almost all gone. She was sure the leaves had something to do with it, but there was also something else that had helped. The fogginess and confusion from that night had lifted. Hearing that Lexa had experienced nightmares too and for much longer had really hit her. Listening to her explain her actions more than she did before she left the mountain, allowed Clarke to put at least part of that tragedy behind her. She knew her nightmares weren't gone. She'd still have those to contend with, but she was working on trying to trust Lexa. She believed the girl when she said it was her head not her heart, but Clarke worried about what might happen if her head and heart had to combat each other again. Lexa's head would win. Clarke knew that. She just didn't know how it would affect her.

She ate and rested and ate again. By late afternoon, she was growing restless and Lexa, her only friend, if she could call her that, still hadn't returned. She decided to leave the safety of the commander's house to wander the capital and when she took a step outside the house, one of Lexa's guards greeted her.

"The Commander has asked that I escort you if you want to leave. She said you are free to leave the capital if you wish and I am not to detain you."

"I'm not leaving. I just want to go for a walk."

He nodded. The grounders nod a lot, Clarke noted. He stayed a few feet behind her as she walked down the alley and back toward the main street of the capital. There were people moving in and out of buildings and selling food and other merchandise on the streets. They didn't appear to be paying in any kind of currency, but used the barter system, which Clarke was familiar with because that's what they used on the ark. She didn't have anything to barter with now though so she was just looking at the people who did as she walked along.

She watched the city work as a unit, which surprised her and she knew it shouldn't. Lexa had told her that they were more than just warriors going into battle. It was more similar to the ark than Clarke ever thought. There was what looked like an infirmary and Clarke guessed that's where her healer ran off to once done with her injuries. Sick people walked in and out. There were other buildings where people could buy supplies or other items, but there were also carts where things were traded and people yelling in their grounder language. As she walked, people stared. Clarke had bathed and changed clothes so she looked somewhat like one of them, but not enough to just blend in. The guard also didn't help. He nodded at people as she walked past and they'd move out of her way. They must have known that the guard was doing the Commander's business because they gave only strange looks to Clarke and not much else. She was glad for his company because she doubted that would be the case if she were on her own.

"You stayed?" Lexa walked out of what Clarke assumed to be their headquarters. It was the building she was first bound and brought to.

"I told you I would. I kept my word." She didn't mean it to sound harsh, but she was sure Lexa took it that way. "Are you done here?" Clarke followed to try to change the subject.

"For now." Lexa replied and approached Clarke. "I can give you a tour of the capital if you'd like."

Clarke thought about telling her she'd been walking for a while and had already seen a lot, but opted against it.

"Sure."

Lexa said something to the guard. Clarke recognized a few words and interpreted she'd told him to return to the house. They'd go on alone. They walked for several moments without a word. Clarke kept waiting for the tour to actually begin, but Lexa seemed content with silence for the time being.

"That is where I was when I found out your people had arrived." Lexa pointed at a small house down an alley. They stopped walking.

"When the shuttle crashed?"

"Yes, I was a young Commander then."

"How does that work? Your leaders are reincarnated?"

"Our elders predict the next Commander. If we are to be leader one day, we are told at a young age to prepare ourselves."

"So, you really were born for this?" Clarke asked knowing the answer.

"So were you." Lexa looked over at her confidently. "We may have been chosen differently, but we were both chosen, Clarke."

"I wasn't chosen, Lexa. Trust me. I'm sure my people wish they had someone else to lead-"

"But they do." Lexa turned to her. "Do you still not see? They had choices and they chose you over and over. Each day. Just as my people choose me to lead them over and over each day. The Sky People could have chosen Bellamy to lead them or your mother or one of the others who came down after you. You had a group of people in place on your ark."

"We had a chancellor and a council." Clarke even had to remind herself of that.

"Yet they listened to you; followed your orders."

"It doesn't matter. I don't belong there anymore."

Clarke started walking on. Lexa paused before beginning to catch up.

"That's Costia's family home." Lexa professed and motioned with her head toward the small house she'd referenced earlier.

Clarke remembered Costia being one of the only people Lexa had every loved. She'd been murdered by a rival clan because of their relationship.

"Costia died after we arrived?" Clarke asked.

"No. Before. Her mother still lives there. Father died days before Costia was born. Costia's younger brother was in training to be a warrior at the time of her death. I made him my second after she died."

Clarke looked over at Lexa who seemed to be sad at the memory, but okay to talk about it.

"You wanted to protect him." Clarke inferred.

"Yes and I failed." Lexa proclaimed. Clarke stopped walking. Lexa stopped a few paces ahead. "He died in training. Sword through the chest. It wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't ready. I pushed him." She explained without turning around. "I was here that day delivering the news when Indra entered and told me a strange object had fallen from the sky and there were survivors."

"I'm sorry Lexa."

"Be sorry for her." Lexa motioned to an older looking woman who was hanging clothes on a tree branch presumably to dry them.

"I am, but I'm sorry for you too. You've lost too many people."

Lexa turned.

"We both have."

They continued on their tour. Lexa explained how the capital functioned compared to how things were when they were at war. During times of peace, the warriors acted as guards and policed the crowd as needed. There was a government kind of like on the ark and Lexa was the head of it all. Clarke knew though that Lexa relied on her advisors because she was a smart leader and she'd seen her defer to her plans even when Lexa questioned them.

It had grown dark and the lanterns and torches were being lit all around. The flickering light made Lexa's eyes flicker with oranges and reds. As they walked back toward Lexa's house together, they spoke nothing more of war. Clarke found that she was enjoying the company of the woman she'd so recently thought a traitor. It created conflicts inside her, but she had no way of dealing with them so she carried on in spite of them.

"Lexa, who are the Old Ones? I've never heard you talk about them."

"They're the ancestors of the bomb survivors like you and I."

Clarke looked over at her.

"There are more survivors?"

"They are more like you than like us. More like the mountain men. They held onto the old ways while we had to start over." She explained as they made their way up the steps to the house.

"What do you mean?"

"They have the things you have. The medicine, the screens…"

"Technology?"

"Yes, they kept those things somehow. My people weren't able too. They left us alone for generations. We knew they were out there, but neither side bothered the other until recently."

"What happened recently?"

"Mount Weather was destroyed."

Clarke walked into the house in front of Lexa and turned to face her.

"The mountain-"

"Would have taken them too since they were immune to the radiation the mountain men were not. The Old Ones lived far enough away that the mountain couldn't reach them. When they did try coming this way, some of them were taken as our people were. They stopped."

"What do they want?"

"They see us as primitive beings. They want us to adopt their ways. They've tried to get closer and closer each day. We've managed to hold them back, but they've only sent small scouting parties with messages. We have no idea how many they are in numbers."

"Have you met with their leaders?"

"No and I won't."

They made their way into the kitchen where a meal was already laid out for them. Lexa motioned for Clarke to sit down at a small table and she sat next to her.

"Why not?" Clarke took a bite.

"Because I am not interested in hearing what they have to say, Clarke."

"Seems like you should be. What if they start a war, Lexa and you could have prevented it by talking to them?"

"I doubt many wars were prevented by talking."

Clarke decided not to argue. She'd been enjoying their war free conversations. They finished their meal and Lexa walked her to her room.

"Thank you for the tour today."

"Thank you for not leaving without saying goodbye. Will you depart tomorrow?" Lexa asked.

Clarke opened the door to the room and looked on the bed. She smiled with relief.

"You had them bring it?" On the bed was her pack filled with her supplies including her father's watch.

"Yes." Lexa stated plainly. "I do not want you to go, Sky Girl." When Lexa said Sky Girl it did not mean the same thing as when other grounders said it. "I know it is not fair of me to ask you to stay here, but I would ask it."

Clarke walked over to the bag and reached into the pocket to remove the watch.

"This was my father's." She told her. "It's the only thing I have left of him. I thought I'd lost it forever." She looked over at her. "Thank you." Lexa nodded wordlessly again. "It's okay to say you're welcome, Lexa."

Lexa smiled and approached her.

"Will you tell me about your father tomorrow?"

"Sure." Clarke replied. "Or some other day." She looked over at Lexa who was staring at her again with something Clarke could only describe as longing.

Clarke reached for the pack to open it and take out the rest of her supplies and as she unclasped the strap, there was a sound like a hissing that emerged from the bag. "Clarke!" Lexa screamed and pulled Clarke backwards. A snake jolted from the bag and attempted to bite them both. Lexa just barely got Clarke back far enough before she reached for her knife, which was at her side and within seconds, took the head off of the snake. Clarke's heart was racing.

"I don't know how that got in there. The bag was closed. How could it have climbed in?"

"It didn't." Lexa responded. She walked out to the doorway and yelled for the guard. They spoke in hushed tones Clarke couldn't make out and Lexa returned alone. "I have increased the guards on this house and you'll have 2 escort you around the capital whenever you leave."

"Lexa-"

"One of my people did this. They would have found the snake when they brought your bag from the woods. It is a tree snake that does not go to ground in search of hiding spots. It is incredibly poisonous with venom that has been changed by the radiation. It causes a slow, painful death. There is no known antidote. Someone put it in there." She pointed at the headless snake, grabbed both pieces and walked out of the room. She returned a moment later without the snake and walked over to a washbasin that had been setup for Clarke. She started washing her hands. "I will investigate this and punish whoever attempted to take your life."

"Lexa, if they know who I am, they probably hate me. It was bound to happen."

Lexa wiped her hands and walked back over to Clarke.

"You have sanctuary here, Clarke. That is a very important and respected law for my people and someone violated it. They disobeyed my orders."

"Okay." Clarke just agreed still not entirely understanding the grounder's ways. She looked at Lexa's jacket. "You have snake something there." She wasn't sure what it was, but it looked like pieces of the snake made their way onto Lexa's jacket.

Lexa went to pull it off and winced. "What's wrong?" Clarke asked. "Did it bite you?"

"No, but a blue hornet did earlier when I went to find where the Old Ones were camped. It's not deadly, but it's painful."

"Here." Clarke reached out and helped her pull off the jacket. She tossed it on the bed. "Turn around." Lexa turned and Clarke could see the bite. It was a swollen knot and bright red. "Lexa, you should have had Atami take care of this."

"I'm fine. It will go away in a few days."

"Sit down." Clarke ordered.

Lexa complied and Clarke reached in her bag and removed the old first aid kit she'd found. It was doubtful anything in it would work, but it was late and Lexa was too stubborn to call her healer. She opened a sealed, small tube of first aid cream and it looked okay enough so she rubbed it onto Lexa's bite.

"It's cold."

"Not as cold as that water you pulled me into earlier." Clarke retorted. She could feel Lexa's tension leave.

"I recall you pushing me in first."

"I didn't mean too."

"Oh, well then I have no defense because I meant to pull you in."

Clarke laughed lightly and reached for a large Band-Aid. She thought better of it though and instead located the wrap and salve type liquid the healer had left for her ankle.

"Lay down."

"This is your room, Clarke."

"So, you slept here last night. Just lay down, Lexa."

Lexa lay down on her stomach.

"You should really be careful ordering me around, Clarke. I am the Commander." Lexa toyed while resting her arms at her sides. Clarke could get to the bite easier now since Lexa was wearing more of a tank top than an actual shirt.

"Says the person lying on her back." Clarke played back and laid the soaked wrap on top of the bite. "This is okay, right? This thing?" Clarke thought to check in the moment after she laid it on.

"Yes, it will work to relieve the swelling." Lexa replied and seemed to again release some tension. As she did, Clarke could feel and see her muscles relax beneath her shirt and she realized she'd left both her hands on Lexa's back even after she was done. "Thank you." Lexa finished and reminded Clarke to snap out of it.

"Can I get you anything?" Clarke asked her from her sitting position.

"No, I will leave you now." Lexa moved to get up.

"Just stay, Lexa." Clarke placed her hand back on Lexa's uninjured shoulder. She reached again for her first aid kit and found a bandage big enough to lie over the wrap and hold it in place. She stuck it to Lexa's skin, which gave the girl freedom to roll over. Now that the wrap was adhered to her, Lexa was free to leave. Clarke wanted to make sure it was her choice to stay. "I need you too." Clarke implored and lowered her head. It was hard to be vulnerable in front of someone so strong.

Lexa sat up and lifted Clarke's head with her hand to look at her.

"Then I will stay." Lexa offered generously and Clarke accepted without comment. The two lay side by side without words until sleep took them both back to that night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

When Clarke woke from the nightmare this time, she woke Lexa as well. Lexa didn't say anything. She just reached over and pulled Clarke into her. She had to use her bitten shoulder to do it, but the pain barely registered thanks to Clarke's earlier care. Clarke's breathing started to slow as her head rested on Lexa's shoulder. Lexa pulled them both back down and kept Clarke's head in place. She wrapped her other arm around the girl's body and pulled her into her. Clarke was clearly awake enough to realize what was going on and put her arm over Lexa's body, gripping her tightly to pull her closer. Lexa remained awake until Clarke was able to fall back asleep. She kept her grip on the girl to make sure Clarke knew someone had her; someone was there to protect her.

When Clarke woke next, Lexa was brushing her hair out of her face. She was lying next to her apparently watching her sleep.

"Good morning." Clarke greeted with a lump in her throat.

"Yes." Lexa just agreed and kept moving Clarke's hair long after it was already in its proper place.

"You stayed?" Clarke asked.

"Yes." Lexa repeated. "This time." She moved her hand to Clarke's cheek. "I will never say this in front of my people, Clarke, but I should have stayed last time." Clarke was now fully awake. She went to move to say something, but Lexa's thumb met her lips and slid gently across them. "I should have fought with you." Lexa moved her thumb, but her hand went back to Clarke's cheek.

"Yes, you should have." Clarke concurred. "We would have won together."

"I know. I see that now. The moment I turned from you and left…" Lexa slid her hand down to Clarke's neck and held it there. "I've let my head rule my heart for a very long time, Clarke. It is for the best of my people and it must be that way in times of war. I cannot change that."

"I know."

"But I think I would change the past if I could. I would change that night. I would stand and fight with you if it meant you could-"

Clarke didn't need to hear the rest. She knew what Lexa was about to say so instead of listening to her say it, she leaned forward and captured her lips with full intent of not stopping. It was intense from the beginning. Lexa's hand shifted to Clarke's hip and Clarke's were already tangled in Lexa's hair. It didn't take long for Lexa's tongue to shift into Clarke's mouth and within a few moments, Lexa moved on top of her. She was grateful for the work Clarke had put into her shoulder earlier because the pain was gone and she was able to support herself while leaning back down to kiss Clarke again. She'd wanted this for a while and she thought she'd never have it because of the mistake at the mountain. Her lips moved to Clarke's neck and Clarke's hand toyed with the hem of Lexa's tank top until Lexa lifted herself up and pulled it off hastily and reattached her lips to Clarke's. Clarke wanted this too. She wanted Lexa to take control. She wanted this woman who seemed to understand her better than anyone. Better than people who had known her forever. Better than Finn, whom she didn't know for long, but meant something to her. In all those private moments she'd shared with Lexa even before the first kiss, she felt herself wanting to know more about her, wanting to understand her and not just to understand her people and their ways, but also to really understand her. She felt a draw to her from the moment they first met.

Left felt soft and vulnerable while also remaining strong and rough. As her hands drifted downward, Clarke knew there would be a moment of no stopping this so if she wasn't ready, she would have to say something now.

"Lexa…" She whispered while Lexa's tongue dragged along her collarbone. Lexa lifted her head immediately and looked at her.

"I thought…" Lexa started and faded.

"I do. I just wanted you to know…" Clarke faded too and wrapped her hands around Lexa's neck to pull her closer. Their foreheads connected as she continued. "I wanted this then too." She met the blue eyes above her and watched as Lexa smiled. Lexa knew what she meant. Clarke meant the moment Lexa kissed her the first time. Clarke wanted it then. She just couldn't have it yet.

"I don't just want this, Clarke of the Sky People." Lexa proclaimed. "I want my heart back." She didn't wait for Clarke to respond. She kissed her gently again before starting a more passionate one.

Clarke wasn't sure if Lexa meant she just wanted to start feeling with her heart instead of thinking with her head more or if she meant that Clarke was her heart in human form. Either way, it didn't matter. Clarke could sort that out later.

Lexa leaned back and removed her undershirt. She was nearly naked straddling Clarke and Clarke's heart raced. There was no turning back now and she smiled at the thought. She leaned forward and Lexa helped pull off her shirt and her bra. They lay back down together and Lexa lifted Clarke's hands above her head and intertwined their fingers while she continued the rapid assault on her neck. Clarke's breathing was moving faster and faster and she could feel her body beginning to react. Finn had been her first, her only.

On the ark in the beginning, it was all about procreation and relationships like this were frowned upon because they wouldn't yield offspring. Over time though, the population grew and the ark's life support systems couldn't support it. Same sex couples started appearing and it became the norm right along with sterilizations. They were never forced. People had a choice. Unless they committed a crime. Crimes meant you had no choice. Crimes met you were executed regardless of their seriousness.

Clarke had never been with a woman or thought of it until Lexa and she was nervous that she might do something wrong or just not good enough, but the way Lexa made her feel in the moments where their skin touched, pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

Lexa started to slide down Clarke's body and began by sucking on one of Clarke's nipples. That sent an immediate shockwave throughout Clarke's body and she wanted more. Her hips lifted slightly, but enough for Lexa to notice. The girl's hands shifted down to Clarke's pants where she quickly undid them and moved off her body so she could shimmy them down Clarke's legs. Clarke was now only in her underwear, but Lexa gently moved those down her legs too. Lexa remained next to her and Clarke felt more vulnerable than ever before, but she also felt safe. She looked over at Lexa whose eyes were on Clarke's body along with one hand that was gliding up and down soft, but scarred skin. The many battles Clarke had been through since crashing from the sky were on her legs, chest, stomach and arms. Lexa seemed to be admiring them as she grazed them with her fingers.

"Ai hod yu in." Lexa told her as she moved her eyes from Clarke's body to her eyes.

"I don't know that one." Clarke squinted her eyes at the girl who stood to remove the rest of her clothing and climbed back on top of her.

"Yes, you do, Clarke." Lexa leaned back in to kiss her again while shifting Clarke's legs apart with her hand so she could press herself into Clark's body.

Clarke sighed at the feeling and it was almost too much to take, but also somehow not enough. Her arms went around Lexa's body and pressed down so as to express her need. Lexa understood and her hand moved between Clarke's legs and Clarke stopped breathing for a moment. Lexa pulled back to check on her. Clarke smiled at her. She wasn't sure, but she thought she knew what Lexa's words meant. She started breathing again slowly and Lexa's fingers moved at a matching pace. They sped up as Clarke's breath sped up and Lexa leaned into the girl's neck. She just held herself there while her fingers worked and Clarke started to sigh and moan in her ear. The feeling of being pressed against one another was almost enough to make Lexa's breath speed up like Clarke's.

When Clarke came, it was almost silent. Lexa waited before pulling herself up to check on her again. Clarke was breathing heavily and looked up at Lexa with brightness in her eyes Lexa hadn't seen before and she'd thought she'd memorized those eyes. They were in every dream she'd had since they'd met. She slid her fingers down further catching Clarke off guard and moved them inside as she watched Clarke's eyes go wide and then close, but not in tightness associated with tension. They closed in anticipation of the pleasure that was about to come.

Lexa moved her fingers in and out and watched Clarke's face. That was how she knew to slow down or go faster. She pressed them down inside her and curled them up and moved herself back on top of Clarke so she could be closer to her when she came again.

Clarke pulled her in as close as she could and let out a silent scream when Lexa's fingers hit just the right spot and she couldn't believe things could be this good. She'd told Lexa once that life should be about more than just surviving. There should be happiness and joy. In that moment, she didn't know if those things were pipe dreams, but in this one, she knew she could have everything. Lexa made her want everything. She only wanted to make sure Lexa felt the same way so once she was able to come down from the trembling with Lexa holding onto her, she shifted herself on top of the girl and stared down at her. Her body was still feeling the effects of all of Lexa's well-placed touches. She wanted Lexa to feel the same.

She dropped down and kissed her neck and her collarbone hesitantly at first. Lexa made little sounds in time with the kisses. She moved to her breasts and took one in her hand to massage it while first licking the other and watching it peak before sucking it into her mouth. Lexa let out another sound at that. She moved to kiss her stomach and the inside of her thighs before moving back up to lick from her belly button to the other nipple, which she then took into her mouth. Lexa's breathing was quickening and so was Clarke's. She was growing more confident with every touch and as she moved back to kiss the girl, she moved her hand into place.

Lexa's head went backwards exposing more of her neck and Clarke's lips and tongue took proper advantage while her fingers found where she thought they should go.

Lexa felt them take control and she gave in. Clarke fumbled slightly at first until she found a rhythm that seemed to be working.

Lexa lifted herself off the bed along with Clarke as she came. She practically forced Clarke to sit up and straddled her in the bed as Clarke's fingers moved from outside to inside and Lexa started working on top of her. Lexa's tongue played with Clarke's until Clarke moved her lips to Lexa's neck. She gripped Lexa's body at the small of her back with her free hand and helped her move however she desired because it felt good just to watch her feel good.

Lexa screamed a deep scream and crashed her lips back into Clarke's. Clarke let her ride out the feeling before moving her back to lie down so she could be on top of her. She kissed her deeply until Lexa gripped the sides of her head and pulled her back to press their foreheads together instead. She breathed heavily and Clarke just watched her as Lexa's hands moved down to the small of her back where sweat had formed from their movements. Clarke stayed in place until Lexa's hands loosed their grip and then she moved beside her and rolled onto her back. They remained in their positions until they were both able to catch their breath. Lexa rolled over first and reached for Clarke's face, which she turned toward her.

"Nowe gyon au." Lexa spoke in her native tongue. Clarke understood the parts and was able to add it up in her head. Lexa said _never go._

"I don't want too." Clarke replied. It was true. She didn't want to leave.

"That doesn't mean you'll stay." Lexa replied with concern.

"It means I don't want to go."

"Clarke-"

"Can I belong here, Lexa? Someone put a snake in my bag to try to kill me. I have armed guards to escort me around the city."

"I will protect you."

"I don't need you to protect me. I just…" Clarke didn't want to be worried about anything right now. She just wanted to wrap herself around Lexa and go back to sleep and ignore the day. "Will it ever be safe for me here?"

"I will make it safe." Lexa stated and opened her arms as if she knew what Clarke wanted. Clarke slid her body over and allowed Lexa to embrace her. "We will make it safe together."

They held one another until Lexa had to leave. She had her duties as the commander and Clarke had to figure out how she could live at the capital with the possibility of grounders wanting to kill her.

She dressed and ate alone in the kitchen before walking outside and taking another look around the beautiful backyard. She decided to take her chances in the cold water remembering how nice it felt before and stripped off her outer clothing making sure there were no guards around to see. Lexa had commanded they remain on the outer perimeter of the yard and house so as to give me space to be free, but protect me at the same time.

She walked along the shore of the river and watched it give way to the wall of a swimming pool. She sat on the edge for a while just taking in the sunlight through the trees before finally sliding down into the cold water and letting it that feeling of renewal rush over her again.

She lowered her head into the water and brought it back out with a laugh. Everything had changed. She no longer felt the burden of having to care of an entire group of people. She could just be here. She could just be happy. She knew though that the nightmares wouldn't just automatically disappear and that the grounders wouldn't just accept her. Lexa would be dealing with the person who tried to kill her with the snake today and Clarke didn't want to think about what she might do to the person. Hopefully, that didn't warrant the horrible punishment she'd saved Finn and Raven from.

She'd have to find something to do with her time. She was already a little bored. She wasn't accustomed to what people used to call vacations. There were no vacations on the ark. It was life and death from the moment Clarke was born. She was used to solitude. She gotten accustomed to it after she was arrested and kept in a cell, but since being on the ground, she'd been busy non-stop. Even in her trek to the capital, she was busy. Being here though, just swimming in Lexa's oasis was not busy enough for Clarke. She would enjoy it for the moment though before finding something else to occupy her time.

She'd gotten out of the water and found a flat piece of land to lay herself out on. She'd never gotten over what it was like to see the sun like this instead of through tiny windows 12-inches thick on the ark. She'd stared at it for hours when they first landed before stopping in fear of going blind. There was just something about the feeling of the rays on her skin that made her relax.

"I thought I'd find you out here."

Clarke smiled without opening her eyes.

"It's beautiful." Clarke referred to the day.

"Yes, it is." Lexa was referring to Clarke. Clarke opened her eyes and saw the girl standing over her staring at her and not their surroundings.

"Join me?" Clarke requested and reached her hand up.

"I must return. I only came to check on you." Lexa was wearing her make up, which signified she was working on something battle related.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lexa." Clarke tried to ease her worry.

Lexa gripped her sword with one hand and reached for Clarke's with the other to pull her up to stand before her.

"We found the man who put the snake in your bag."

"You did? Who is he?"

"You do not know him. His uncle was killed by the mountain men and his brother died in the fire you ordered."

Clarke remembered that night. They had no choice. The grounders were going to attack and they would have won. Everyone she knew would have died.

"Oh."

"He saw you brought in and when I ordered your bag retrieved, he volunteered."

"Lexa, what are you going to do to him?" Clarke asked.

"He will be dealt with. You have no need to worry." She took a step toward Clarke and grabbed her hand.

"I'm not worried. I just want to know."

"He will be hung in the circle for disobeying my orders."

"Lexa!" Clarke didn't want the man to die. "You can't kill him."

"Yes, I can. I ordered sanctuary for you and he defied that order. He will pay with his life."

"Lock him up, Lexa, but don't kill him." Clarke pleaded and took her hand back from Lexa's grasp.

Lexa put both her hands around Clarke's waist.

"Our ways are strange to you still, but they won't always be. He knew of the consequences when he made his decision, Clarke. He tried to kill you. Blood must have blood."

"There was no blood, Lexa. I'm fine."

"We can have these fights amongst ourselves, but you must not question me in front of my people, Clarke."

"I must not?" Clarke questioned and pulled herself away. "That's not how this is going to be, Lexa. I don't take orders from you."

"I'm not asking you too. I'm asking you not to question the orders I give to my people in front of them. It creates doubt and confusion and I can't have that. Neither can you." Lexa paused. "If they question me, they will question you."

Lexa put her hands back on Clarke's waist. Clarke squinted at her.

"I get it. I won't question you in front of your people, but I won't blindly follow your orders either."

"Thank you. That's all that I ask." Lexa leaned in.

"What's the circle?" Clarke asked.

Lexa pulled back looking disappointed.

"Clarke of the Sky People, you have many questions." She nodded sideways. "It is a place of gathering. Sometimes for celebration and sometimes for punishment."

"We didn't see it on our tour yesterday."

"It is on the other side. We had walked far already on your ankle. I thought it best to save it for another time."

Clarke wasn't buying it.

"Someone was hanged there yesterday?" She asked.

Lexa lowered her head momentarily before raising it again.

"Indra oversaw it while I was with you. He killed one of our warriors for taking his houmon. You would say spouse."

"Taking? Like kidnapping?"

"No, like what you and I did last night." Lexa smiled at her. "People are not treated as property here, but we have a way of marking people as connected. Once you belong to one another, there is no breaking that bond. One of my warriors broke that bond with that man's houmon and he killed him for it. He died because of that."

Lexa sounded disappointed in her tone, but Clarke wasn't sure if it was because of the man or the warrior.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked her finally returning her touch with a hand to her face.

"I told you it would be different here, but I bring talks of murder and more death."

"Lexa, death is not new to me. Even on the ark, there was death. It would be wrong if we didn't talk about it."

"I must go. I will return as soon as I can."

"Can you just take me with you?"

Lexa seemed unsure.

"We will be discussing the Old Ones. Then, I must attend the hanging."

"I understand." Clarke nodded. "I can't just sit around here and do nothing."

"Come along." Lexa started walking back into the house.

"Wait." Clarke stopped her and Lexa turned back. "Am I…? I mean are we…? Do they know…?" Clarke wasn't sure how to ask if the grounders knew that they were together. Or were they even together? It's not like they've really discussed it.

Lexa laughed lightly and took Clarke by the hand.

"They know nothing of last night. That's not something I would share with anyone. It belongs to us and always will." She pulled Clarke into her. "I believe Indra is aware."

"She saw us yesterday."

"Before that. She knows me well. She's been with me since I was young and told I would be Commander some day. She's been watching me with you since the beginning. She knew how I felt."

"When did you feel it?" Clarke asked, thinking now was the right time to find out when the heartless commander let her heart feel for someone again.

"It wasn't all at once." She started. "It came in parts. When I watched you halt our punishment of Finn, I saw your compassion." She reached for Clarke's face and pulled her into her. "When you saved me from death by the gorilla, I saw your strength." She leaned in and kissed her. "When you backed me against that table, I saw your passion." She kissed her again. "When I added it all up, I saw you. I realized I needed you. I realized I wanted you. I was yours then as I am now." Clarke kissed her back and grabbed the sides of her head with both hands so Lexa couldn't pull away if she tried. They let the kiss end naturally before smiling at one another.

"Come on." Clarke was the one to start pulling Lexa back toward the house. They held hands as they walked down the street, warriors on either side and in front and behind them. People stared and murmured, but there were no outbursts. Lexa's command is clear. They respect her rule even if a few of them get out of line and take steps against me. It was not really because of her. It was because of me.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sometimes I will not define the grounder's language intentionally and other times I will define it. You will see that English definition after the sentence in italics.

Chapter 7:

When they arrived at the command center, Lexa separated their hands so she could sit on her throne. She asked Clarke to stand next to her. There were over 20 people in the room. Some were dressed as warriors, but others were not. Clarke guessed they were the advisors or council members.

Lexa spoke in her own tongue and appeared to be incredibly serious. They all listened intently and looked over at Clarke occasionally. There were nods, of course and then Lexa looked over at her.

"I just told them that you're staying in the capital with me and your sanctuary must be upheld. You have been pardoned of any crimes against our people and if anyone else violates the sanctuary, they will pay with their lives as Nadok will pay later in the circle." Lexa took Clarke's hand. Clarke looked around not knowing what to do. "While Clarke is not of our clan, I value her opinion and will consult her about our-"

"Heda, this is unheard of." The voice was Indra's.

"Shof op, Indra. Em pleni!" Lexa's voice was more than authoritative. "Clarke has protected her people above all else. She is a leader and brave warrior who destroyed the Maunon. You will embrace her." Lexa's eyes gave off a glare that made Clarke fear her briefly.

"Sha, Heda." Indra followed.

"Now, let us discuss the Old Ones."

Lexa motioned for one of the people to bring Clarke a chair. It was an oversized stuffed one like the one she'd seen in that house she'd broken into. It was sat next to Lexa's throne and Clarke met Indra's eye. She knew Indra wasn't her number one fan already, but seeing her next to Lexa where Indra thought she should be, probably just made it a lot worse.

They spoke in English only in short bursts. Clarke got tired at trying to keep up so she eventually just stopped entirely knowing Lexa would catch her up later. The meeting took about an hour before Lexa dismissed everyone.

"I'll be right back." Clarke told her while she still sat on her throne. "Indra, hod op."

Indra turned and waited in the doorway reluctantly.

"Sky Girl?"

"I know you and I aren't exactly friends, but if I'm going to stay here, I'd like to at least try to get along. Can we do that?" Clarke tried hopefully. Indra was important to Lexa so Clarke wanted to extend an olive branch.

"I will tolerate your existence in my city, Clarke of the Sky People. I will obey my Commander as is my duty, but that is all."

"Octavia served you well. She-"

"Octavia did not obey as was her duty. She is no more to me." Indra turned to leave.

"Indra, will you at least translate something for me?" Clarke asked in a hushed tone since Lexa was just on the other side of the room.

"Speak your words, Sky Girl."

"What does ai hod yu in mean?"

Indra just laughed. Clarke looked back at Lexa who was looking at the two of them inquisitively.

"It means Heda finally told you." Indra expressed still laughing. "You are not who I would have for her. She should be with her own kind; not someone from the Sky Clan, but as long as you do no harm, I will not interfere." With that Indra was gone. Clarke had it confirmed. She wasn't sure if she felt it back entirely. Was she ready to say those three words it took her so long to say to Finn and even then, she really only said them in part because he was dying by her hand. Lexa loved her. Ai hod yu in meant _I love you_ and Lexa was right. Clarke did know it when she'd said it earlier. Thoughts raced through Clarke's brain. Saying things like that had always been difficult for her even before she landed on the planet. Based on Indra's laughter, she was sure that to some, this kind of expression was seen as frivolous, but Clarke knew what it meant to Lexa to be able to say those words to someone.

"I will speak with Indra." Lexa approached. They were alone in the room.

"It's okay. She's never going to like me. I might as well get used to it."

"She will protect you though."

"I know. She's loyal to you." Clarke agreed.

"Do you still want to go to the circle?" Lexa gave her an out.

Clarke nodded and the two of them started walking that way together. Clarke reached for Lexa's hand as she proceeded down the street hoping that was okay and Lexa took it.

"This is the first time this has happened, Clarke."

"What?" Clarke wasn't sure what she was referring too.

"Commanders do not normally display affection with their houmons in public."

Clarke looked over at her.

"Is that what I am?"

Lexa held back a smile. Clarke could tell now what it looked like when she wanted to express something other than serious authority, but was unable.

"We don't really have a word for what you call boyfriend or girlfriend, but it is what I would like you to be." She looked over at Clarke. "I would like you to be ain."

"Mine?" Clarke translated.

"Yes."

"There's not a ceremony or anything is there?" Clarke worried. She knew she wasn't ready for that.

Lexa again avoided a smile.

"No, that would come later if we chose it. For now, it's enough just to say it."

Clarke thought about how she got here. She recalled Lexa originally mentioning the capital and then the destruction of Mount Weather and then her leaving Camp Jaha for nowhere in particular, but maybe she was always headed here. Maybe she was destined, if she believed in anything like that, to end up in the capital with Lexa, the girl who's hand felt like it fit so perfectly in her own.

"Okay."

Lexa stopped walking and turned toward her.

"We are stronger together than we are apart, Clarke." She placed her hand on Clarke's cheek and leaned in connecting their lips. It was a brief kiss and nothing like the ones dripping with passion they shared before, but it was enough to get the attention of the hundreds of people walking toward the circle alongside them. "Now, they know."

"That I am yours?"

"That we belong to each other."

Clarke let out a small smile and they continued walking in the direction of the circle.

When they arrived, it looked like an outdoor amphitheater built into the ground so that the top level of seats was actually at ground level and you had to walk down into the earth to get to other levels and the center, which was an open round space. Tonight there were gallows awaiting someone to hang. Lexa walked down the aisle way. People parted as she processed with her guards and Clarke at her side. We made our way down to the center and she walked Clarke to the side to sit. She did and watched the rest of the crowd join and then hush almost immediately when Lexa raised her hand. A boy who looked to be able as old at Clarke was brought down one of the aisles and was pushed to kneel in front of his Commander.

"Yu don ge finga au, Nadok. Ron ai ridiyo op." Lexa ordered Nadok to confess.

"Disha Skaikru ste nouseim, mou bilaik Maunon kom oso." Nadok replied.

Clarke didn't know what that meant.

"Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op." Lexa replied. Clarke remembered hearing those words the day Gustus tried to get the grounders out of the alliance. It meant something like if they're against me, they're against her. "You want her dead, you speak her words." She pointed at me. Nadok looked over toward me.

"My people suffered because of you."

"You do not speak for the clans. I do. Do you believe you would make a better Commander than me?" She asked him.

"No, Heda. My family is dead."

"Many families are dead. That is war. There is sacrifice in war. Every warrior of our clan knows this."

Nadok dropped his head.

"I am to die, Heda. Kill me now. I have confessed."

"Very well."

Lexa motioned for two armed warriors to lift Nadok up and take him to the gallows.

"Heda!" Nadok screamed as he was carried.

Lexa walked over to Clarke and sat beside her. She leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"If I show mercy, people will see me as vulnerable. They will think they can disobey, but know that I wish I could be merciful sometimes."

Nadok had a noose applied and without ceremony, he was dropped to hang. Clarke closed her eyes, but resisted the urge to turn her head. She didn't want the grounders to see her as having mercy either.

"Join me out back?" Lexa asked as they walked through the front door of the house they were sharing.

It was dusk and after the hanging, there was no need for either of them to stick around so they came back to the house. Lexa followed Clarke as they walked to her favorite spot in the capital.

"What's this?" Clarke asked when she saw a blanket spread out in front of the water with food on top of it.

"I often have my evening meal out here." She recalled their eating in tents as compared to eating in a house, which was a new thing for both of them.

They sat and enjoyed their meal alone together. The sun had set and they were still sitting outside listening to the sounds of the woods. The crickets chirping, the wolves or other animals howling, the water rushing joined in unison to create music. Clarke looked to see that Lexa, who'd been silent for the last several minutes, had her eyes closed. Clarke stared at her and noticed that the black make up was now slightly smeared from wear. Lexa's eyes opened and caught her stare.

Clarke reached for a cloth they'd been using as a blanket and knelt in front of Lexa before Lexa straightened her legs and Clarke straddled them.

"No more war tonight." Clarke dipped the cloth in Lexa's cup of forgotten water and started to wipe away her war paint. Lexa watched her movements as she did and put her hands on Clarke's stomach under her shirt. She slid them around her back and held onto that spot until Clarke's cloth was more black than white. The two stared at one another for a moment and Clarke's arms went around her neck. "My father used to tell me stories." She began. "He was my favorite storyteller." She smiled and Lexa rubbed her back as she spoke. "He told me about what the ark was like when he was young and when his parents were young. I never met them. They died before I was born. He was funny and smart and I looked up to him. My favorite story was the one about how he got my mother to marry him."

"Clarke, I haven't asked about your mother. I'm sorry. How-"

"She's fine. She was taken by the mountain. They tried to take her marrow, but we got her out." Clarke explained then stopped herself. She realized she hadn't yet recounted the whole story in detail to Lexa. She'd only received pieces and nightmares. "I don't want to talk about it now." Lexa nodded in agreement and continued moving her hands up Clarke's back. "They met in school. The population was dwindling so there weren't as many kids around. My dad was a few years older, but they were in the same class. They both apprenticed in science and then my mom chose medical and my dad chose engineering." Clarke ran her hands through Lexa's hair. "They were in the cafeteria one day. He hadn't seen her in a couple of years. Once you're in your field, you spend all your time with the others you work with and with your family. She was smiling and laughing and he said he fell for her then. He walked right up to her table and sat down next to her. She was surprised and told him to leave. He just kept looking at her and eventually she just laughed again and he said she should marry him."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. He told her she deserved better, but that she wouldn't find it on the ark since eligible men were hard to come by. She laughed at that too. They left the cafeteria together and were married a few months later. I came along shortly after."

Lexa just stared up at her and continued to move her hands up and down. "Do you know why I'm telling you this?"

"No, but I'm glad you did."

"It was your smile." Clarke started. She stared into Lexa's eyes; bore into them to make sure Lexa would pay attention to this part. "That's when I knew. I felt it in parts too, but it all added up when I saw you smile the first time the other day. A real smile and you laughed and you became more than the Lexa I knew at camp, in battle, leading her people. That's when I knew. Ai hod yu in. I love you." She gulped after saying it, wondering if it was too soon after the mountain; if she was really ready and able to love again after what happened and Lexa leaving her alone to fight the battle, but there was something brewing inside her that made her confident in what she was saying and that she could be ready to be with Lexa despite what had happened. She hadn't planned on saying it back. The whole monologue she'd just delivered came out of nowhere, but in the moment, it felt right. She trusted the declaration. She trusted herself, which after what happened at the mountain, was a feeling she welcomed with open arms.

Lexa smiled so big it was if her eyes were smiling too. She pulled Clarke in and kissed her as passionately as she'd done before. Clarke moved them so they could lie down on the blanket and pulled off her jacket and shirt. Lexa was wearing a similar black shirt to the white one she was wearing this morning and with Clarke on top of her it would take too long to have her move to take it off so Clarke just pulled from the top and tore it in half. Lexa smiled. That must be that passion part she liked so much. Clarke locked their lips again while Lexa fumbled with Clarke's belt until it was undone and her pants could be unbuttoned. Clarke slid her hand inside Lexa's pants. Lexa's breath hitched the moment Clarke's now confident fingers started working. This time, it was all heat. There was no build up. It was all about getting her there. She moved awkwardly for a moment until she could get her fingers inside and then used her other hand to try to slide Lexa's pants down. She wasn't able to, but she got them down far enough to be able to move her fingers in and out faster, which is really all she cared about.

Lexa's sounds began to cover up the music of nature they'd been so enamored by earlier. Clarke watched her face as she came and felt more turned on by the second. Lexa quickly flipped them over and yanked Clarke's pants all the way off. It didn't take her long to move her face between Clarke's legs and use her tongue to make Clarke feel the way she'd just made her feel. Clarke had to grip the blanket the faster Lexa's tongue moved. Lexa worked until Clarke's muscles tightened and her sounds drowned out all others. Lexa lifted her head and Clarke opened her eyes.

"That was…" She started and then her head flopped right back down on the blanket and she was unable to speak. Lexa giggled and moved back on top of her.

"That was what?" She asked kissing her neck.  
Clarke just sighed and Lexa took that as her answer.

"Come on." Clarke started to move and Lexa didn't know where too so she just let her get up. She watched as her naked body jumped into the pool and submerged herself. Lexa stood, removed the rest of her clothing and climbed in slowly. Clarke emerged just in time to press Lexa against the side of the pool and their lips met immediately. "This is what I meant, by the way?"

"Chit?" Lexa asked. _What?_

"About not just surviving."

Lexa pulled her in and kissed her again. She knew that no matter what else happened, she could do this. Her life could be about more than just surviving.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

"Commander!" The greeting came from behind the door of Lexa's bedroom. They'd shared that room instead of Clarke's since it was obviously nicer and on the second floor. Lexa had assured her that the view in the morning as the sun rose was worth seeing.

"Lexa, I think it's for you." Clarke told her and kind of moved her hand around on the other side of the bed for the girl who wasn't there. Clarke opened her eyes to see that Lexa was already getting dressed.

"Go back to sleep." Lexa told her and opened the door once she had on clothes.

Clarke could tell it was early and they'd been up very late so she'd only gotten a few hours of sleep. She heard the door close behind Lexa and it was then that she snapped too. She loved the commander of a huge army. Anytime someone shouted for Lexa, there was a chance they'd be going into battle. She climbed quickly out of bed and threw on her clothes. She opened the door and watched Lexa wait for one of her guards to open the front door.

"Wait!" Lexa turned to see her standing there and Clarke rushed down the stairs. "I want to come."

"I'll send for you later." Lexa promised as she walked briskly out the door.

Clarke was left standing there wondering what was going on that required Lexa to be woken early.

A few hours later, Indra walked into the kitchen where Clarke was sitting watching the cook prepare a meal.

"Where is she?" Clarke asked her.

"You have been summoned, Sky Girl. Come."

Clarke left the cook in the kitchen and followed Indra. They walked toward the command center, but Indra kept walking past it.

"Where are we going, Indra?"

"The Old Ones approached from the East. The Commander has asked you to meet her."

"Why didn't she come get me herself?" Clarke asked.

"She is already there." Indra insisted.

The two guards that walked with Clarke would obey Lexa's command to protect her, she hoped because she had no weapons and Indra was walking her into the woods.

After about a mile, Clarke was relieved to spot Lexa and other grounders standing on what looked to be a cliff. Lexa was staring across it to the other side where Clarke could barely make out a group of people.

"Clarke, hir." Lexa motioned for her to walk over. "They're on the other side of the ridge."

"Why?" Clarke asked as she arrived at Lexa's side. Indra stood on her other side.

"It doesn't matter. They are on our land." Indra proclaimed.

Clarke peered over the ridge and used her hand to block out the sun.

"What they want does matter, Indra. If they're here for a fight, so be it, but if they just want to talk, why not let them?" Clarke was being bold and she knew it. She avoided Lexa's glance because she was worried this might be construed as questioning her authority.

"Clarke's right." Lexa announced. "We won't know what they want unless we engage them. Send a messenger over the ridge. 2 of their people and 2 of our people. Tell them I wish to speak to their leader."

"As you wish, Commander." Indra obliged. She walked off to tell the grounder that would become the messenger what to relay and then returned. "He will set it for dusk at the mine." She explained.

"Good." Lexa replied. "For now, we wait. Indra, you will lead the back up team. Station yourself on the ridge above the mine. Bring 2 archers. Have them hide themselves well and have fire ready for their bows."

"I cannot do that, Commander. I am to be with you for the meeting."

"No, you will lead the back up team as I Command. Clarke will join me for the meeting." Lexa told her.

Clarke looked just as shocked as Indra.

"Commander, beja! She is not one of us. She should not negotiate on our behalf."

Lexa looked at her 2nd square in the eye.

"Chil daun! The decision has been made and is final." She paused. "Indra, I do not have to explain myself to you, but because I value you, I will tell you why I am choosing Clarke over you right now."

"Heda?"

Lexa took a few steps backwards, glanced at Clarke and then back at Indra to address her.

"You and I are too alike. We've lived the same way, had the same approach all this time." Lexa looked at Clarke. "Clarke sees things differently and I trust that she will help me see both sides of this situation. I need her to apply balance."

Clarke looked at the ground during this speech. She didn't want to catch Indra's fiery eyes.

"Understood, Commander. I will do as you wish." With that, she walked off to ready her team.

"Ha yu?" Lexa asked Clarke.

"I'm okay. A little surprised."

"I should have asked you first."

"It's okay. I'll go with you."

"You know I don't want to bring war into this." Lexa explained and reached for Clarke's hand.

"I know. Maybe it won't come to that." Clarke responded with hope.

"We should go. We're exposed here." Lexa and Clarke walked back in the direction of the capital with several grounders surrounding them.

When dusk arrived, the two of them watched from their side of the ridge as two people arrived outside an old coalmine. Indra and her team were ready. She'd protested once more about the Commander going in unprotected, but Lexa had once again convinced her to trust her.

The two of them walked slowly toward the mine using the trees and the near darkness for cover before finally revealing themselves at the last minute. The two Old Ones were dressed in clothing that looked familiar to Clarke. It was similar to what they wore on the ark, but it was also just like the clothes of pre-bomb America. "My name is York. This is Carolina." The tall, thin man introduced. He looked to be about 25. The woman at his side was much older. Probably around 50. Clarke suspected at first that they might be mother and son, but they didn't look anything alike so she doubted that now. The woman had grayish hair and was on the plump side.

"I am the Commander of the 12 clans."

"What's your name?" York asked her.

Lexa just glared.

"I'm Clarke." Clarke offered and held out her hand to see what they might do. York deferred to Carolina who shook it.

Lexa stood still looking suspicious. Her left hand was at her side and was painted almost entirely in black with some white highlights on it that would show in the darkness. The signal to Indra to fire would be a raised left hand.

"You don't look like them." York stated.

"I'm not." Clarke started. "I'm here as a consultant." She tried to offer in explanation. "Where did you guys come from?"

"We live in what was called Iowa before the bombings. My ancestors were originally from North Carolina. His were from New York. Over time, we've all ended up together. We have managed to maintain much of the old ways. We have electricity, running water, schools, and hospitals. We have government." Carolina explained and Clarke was dumbfounded.

"How?" Clarke asked.

"Some at the time knew that the bombs were coming. They set things in motion to be prepared. The war to end all wars worked at that, but it didn't end all of humanity as many thought it would when it started. Most of us were refugees who ended up there with our families or on our own."

"Where are you from?" York interrupted and looked at Clarke.

"Continue your story." Lexa insisted in Carolina's direction.

"We're not here to start a war. We've all had enough of that and we appreciate you being willing to speak with us today. We weren't even sure your people spoke our language." Carolina looked at Lexa and when she received nothing in response, she continued. "We just want to offer you a better place to live. We want to give you a chance at real survival beyond the primitive ways you're currently using." She looked over at Clarke for a second and then back to Lexa. "You would have a real life with us. A real chance."

"We need nothing from you." Lexa replied finally and started to turn to walk away. "You will leave our land and never return." She ordered almost dismissively.

"Aren't you tired?" York asked her with her back turned away from him.

"How far is this place from where we are?" Clarke asked. Lexa stalled her footsteps.

"It's about 1000 miles from here. Our ancestors mentioned survivors were in this area long ago. We've been trying to make it out here for a rescue for some time, but there were disappearances. Our people often never returned and if they did, they told stories of near capture from men who lived here. We used to think it was your people." She looked at Lexa. "But we believe it was another group now. There was an advance team sent to this area several days ago and they were able to walk right in where the people had reported the danger. What they found…" She faded out and Clarke gulped. "There were bodies."

Lexa looked over at Clarke.

"They were of the mountain and they are no more. They deserved what they got." Lexa offered.

"What did it look like?" Clarke asked hesitantly.

"I wasn't there myself, but I heard it was awful. Hundreds of people were exposed to radiation and burned. They had a whole world in that mountain. It was unfortunate they could not survive outside. They would have been a good addition to our group. We could have doubled our population overnight and really continued our expansion."

"You didn't want them to be a part of your group." Clarke opened. "They were dangerous."

"They were evil." Lexa expounded. Clarke lowered her head. She knew not all of them were evil and if circumstances were different, they probably wouldn't have gone to such lengths to get out of the mountain. "They were destroyed."

"We'd like to discuss things further. We think we can be of help to you and your people if you're willing to continue discussions."

"How did you get here?" Clarke thought to ask after Carolina's offering.

"We have vehicles." York added. "That's what she's talking about. We can give you a better quality of life."

"You have cars?" Clarke asked.

"Some. We use them sparingly. Fuel isn't always easy to come by. It takes a lot of work to produce. We also have aircraft. We use those even less."

Lexa looked at Clarke.

"We are finished here."

Lexa took Clarke's hand to pull her away.

"How is your government structured?" Clarke continued her questioning despite Lexa's push to leave.

"For another time." Carolina stated. "We just wanted to introduce ourselves. We were happy to hear from your messenger that you were finally willing to talk to us."

Clarke looked over at Lexa. She nodded.

"Thank you for the information." Clarke told them. "We've got some things to think about. For now though, you should consider returning home."

"It's quite a far way for us to travel only to return to speak again." Carolina expressed.

"At least get off clan land. Without an alliance, you are in danger without the Commander's protection."

"Which has not been extended." Lexa confirmed.

"Very well." Carolina understood. She reached her hand out and there was something in it. "This is a 2-way radio. It will work for up to 500 miles. We will leave your territory and wait one week. If we hear nothing from you, we will take that as you not wanting our help. When you want to talk, just press that button. We can set a new day and time to continue."

Clarke took the radio that looked like a completely new radio. It wasn't pieced together from scavenged parts.

"It was nice to meet you." Clarke wrapped up the conversation.

"You as well."

Carolina and York walked off in the direction of their own ridgeline. Lexa and Clarke waited until they were out of vision. Indra's team was tasked with following them until they were out of grounder territory.

"And?" Lexa started walking off and Clarke turned to join.

"Something's weird about them."

"I agree."

"I don't trust them, but I wouldn't rule anything out entirely."

"We do not need help, Clarke." Lexa replied confidently as they made their way back up the side of the hill back toward the capital.

"I'm not saying you do, but Lexa, they're saying they have hundreds and maybe even thousands of people. They have power and water and medicine."

"We have medicine." Lexa defended.

"I know." Clarke put her hand out and reached for Lexa. They stopped walking and Lexa faced her. "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the way your people live, Lex. I'm just saying it would be nice to get some information from them. What if there are ways to improve the capital? Better medicine and treatment for your warriors, cleaner water, vehicles to get from place to place faster, better ways to communicate with one another." She held up the radio. "This is new, Lexa. They have the ability to make new technology like this without pulling pieces from things and trying to make it work like we were on the ark."

"You called me Lex."

"Sorry, it was easier."

"Only you."

"Understood." Clarke smiled at her.

"We must take this back and discuss with the others."

"Let's go then."

"This alliance between all clans will deteriorate unless we have a common enemy." Lexa told Clarke once they were alone in Lexa's room. Lexa had set a meeting for the following day to discuss what the Old Ones had revealed to her. Lexa removed her warrior wear including her paint as Clarke changed into something to sleep in. It amazed her how quickly one can get into a routine. She'd only been in the capital a few days, but this already felt normal to her. Undressing and getting ready for bed with Lexa at her side felt second nature.

"You don't need a common enemy, Lexa. You need a common cause."

"What's the difference, Clarke?" Lexa asked her as Clarke tossed her shirt over in the pile of clothes someone would take to clean tomorrow. She slid a clean one over her body and climbed into Lexa's bed. Lexa turned to look at her. Lexa, it turned out, slept in the nude when there was a warm house to sleep in.

"A cause is like… finding a different way to live that could involve less struggle for your people whereas an enemy is finding a new war for those people to fight for the sole purpose of not fighting each other." Clarke paused and watched Lexa walk toward her. She reached for her waist and pulled her into her. "You've somehow managed to keep the clans united even after our alliance broke. You have generals and commanders of different clans looking to you when they're used to making the decisions. You can keep this going without fighting if what Carolina and York said is true."

"That's a pretty big if, Sky Girl." Lexa's arms wrapped around Clarke's neck.

"Lexa?"

"Hmm…?"

"If you don't find a common cause or common enemy, what happens to your coalition of clans?" Clarke asked.

"All clans will return to their previous alliances, but the one uniting us will end. Then, there's always a chance of war."

"Why can't you just remain united as one people?"

Lexa straddled her.

"Because it's not that simple." Lexa leaned in and ran her hands through Clarke's long, blonde hair. "It's been done this way for generations, Clarke. No one can stop it."

"You can." Clarke's lips locked with Lexa's and she pulled her closer.

"I am unable to break with tradition." Lexa pulled back.

"You already have. Lexa, don't you get it? You're constantly breaking with your traditions. If anyone can stop clans from going to war again and again, it's you. These people have already shown they will follow you. What if you led them away from war instead of toward it?"

"And what of the Old Ones?"

"With them or without them, it doesn't matter." Clarke pressed her lips against the space between Lexa's breasts. "You can change the world, Lexa."

Dawn came and Clarke and Lexa woke and dressed together. Just as they were about to make their way into the command center, Indra approached from the woods.

"Commander, Sky People!" She yelled.

"What?" Clarke questioned.

"Your people… they're here." She stopped in front of Clarke. "They're on the edge of the clearing to the west. They know you're here, Sky Girl and they want to talk to you."

"Who is it?" Clarke asked. "Who's here?" She wasn't sure who she wanted it to be.

"See for yourself."

"Shish-" Lexa started to tell Indra to answer Clarke.

"It's okay. I'll just go."

"They can come here. I will grant them protection to deliver their message." There was concern in Lexa's voice.

"I'll be back." Clarke assured her.

"The meeting? We should postpone."

"No, just go ahead without me." Clarke told her. "Just tell them what they told us. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Remember, nowe gyon au." _Never go._

"I won't." Clarke started off toward the wood.

"Indra, see to her safety." Lexa ordered and nodded for Indra to follow Clarke who was already walking briskly.

"I should remain with you for the meeting."

"No one has served me better than you, Indra."

"Ai badan yu op en nou moun." Indra spoke. _I serve you and no other._

"Badan Klark op en yu Badan em." _Serve Clarke and you serve me._ "Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op." _Attack her and you attack me._ "I cannot make it any clearer, Indra."

Indra nodded. She followed in Clarke's direction. Lexa watched for a long time until she saw Clarke disappear into the woods. She only hoped the Sky Girl would keep her word and return to her regardless of what her people had to say.

Clarke approached a clearing with Indra and another warrior close on her tail. When she arrived, she saw Bellamy and Octavia.

"Clarke!" Bellamy half-shouted. Octavia stood beside him without saying anything. She was more focused on Indra who now stood behind Clarke.

"How did you find me?"

"Lincoln talked about the capital." Octavia shared. "He figured you'd come here. Where else would you go?"

"Clarke, you need to come back to camp." Bellamy interjected.

"I told you when I left that I couldn't be there, Bell."

"It's your mom, Clarke." Octavia explained. "The mountain men… she got an infection. So did Raven. So did a few others, but your mom got it the worst."

"Infection from what?" It was Indra who spoke.

"I thought I was dead to you." Octavia seethed.

"You didn't follow command. You-"

"Saved my brother's life!"

"Enough. Both of you. This isn't helping anything." Clarke yelled. "Bellamy?"  
"Your mom's not doing well, Clarke. The others will probably recover, but your mom is our doctor. If she doesn't make it, I'm not sure anyone else can do what she do and if she can't tell us how to make her better…"

"What can I do, Bell? I'm no doctor."

"What's wrong with you, Clarke?"

"Hod op!" Indra stepped beside Clarke as if to defend her. That was new.

"Your mother is dying, Clarke. We're not asking you to heal her. We're giving you the chance to say goodbye." Octavia explained. "Let's just go, Bell. She's clearly moved on from all of us."

"Octavia!" Bellamy scolded. "Just calm down." He looked at Clarke. "It like 3 days. 2 if we hurry."

"Okay. I've got to go back to the capital first."

"We've got supplies. We brought enough for you."

"It's not that." She paused and looked at Indra. Indra gave her a glance that said something like 'you're on your own.'

"I need to tell Lexa I'm leaving."

"And that you'll return?" Indra questioned with a suspicious glance in her direction.

"Clarke, why are you even here? They left us." Octavia asked and accused at the same time.

"We followed our Commander's orders! That was our duty!"

"Pleni!" Clarke hoped she got the word right. Indra and Octavia stopped yelling at each other so she guessed she was close enough. "You can come in with me if you want. I won't be long."  
"We'll wait here." Octavia stated defiantly in reply.

"Fine." Clarke turned to walk back into town.

It all suddenly came rushing back to her. Her desire to leave Camp Jaha and the mountain behind. Her need to be elsewhere on her own at first, but really her need to be near Lexa. To be understood and accepted and treated as an equal. To be loved. She'd be leaving that even if it was only temporarily.

All of that rushed in and then back out of her brain as she continued to walk with Indra next to her. Her mother was dying. She'd gotten her out of the mountain, away from those men with the drills and blood on their hands only to lose her after. Clarke thought she was fine when she left. She remembered her being carried into camp on the stretcher, but she was sitting up. She looked ok. She'd recover.

Clarke started moving faster and Indra had to speed up as well.

"You will return, Sky Girl." Indra told her.

"Indra, I can't right now. I need to go. It's my mother."

"My mother died in battle as all warriors hope to do. It is honorable. You told Heda you would never leave. It is not honorable to not keep your word."

"This is different. She'll understand." She said to Indra. "She has too." She said to herself.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"Commander, can we talk?" Clarke greeted her in the war room surrounded by a few people and was leaning over a map. She stood and nodded. She said something to them Clarke didn't understand and ushered her into the throne room.

"Who was in the woods?" She asked.

"Bellamy and Octavia."

"They want you to return to your people." Lexa said and put her hand on Clarke's waist.

"My mother… she's sick."

Lexa's expression was worry.

"I am sorry, Clarke."

"I need to go back."

The expression went from worry to sadness in an instant.

"You promised."

"I'll come back. I just need to check on her." Clarke downplayed the extent of her mother's condition. "I'll be back as soon as I can. You can come with me."

Lexa looked at her doubtfully.

"Your people will not wish to see me."

"I wish to see you." Clarke rested her hand on Lexa's cheek.

"I cannot leave right now, Clarke. There is much to do with the Old Ones."

"What happened in the meeting?"

"We've made a decision to meet with them again."

"That's great." Clarke smiled. "I'm still worried there's something going on there, but it's good to see you're not going straight into a war with them."

"How long will you be gone?" Lexa asked.

"I don't know. It's two days to get there and two days to get back and whatever time I need there."

"I will handle things here. I will send 4 guards with you and I will leave Indra in charge and join you in ten days if you have not returned."

"And what if I'm walking back while you're walking there?" Clarke asked and leaned forward to press their foreheads together. She knew she needed to check on her mother and she was worried she might lose her, but the idea of leaving Lexa right now also worried her.

"I will find you." Lexa told her and kissed her gently. "I will always find you, Clarke of the Sky People."

Bellamy and Octavia were right where they said they'd be when Clarke arrived with enough supplies for the journey and back again.

"They're coming too?" Octavia said noting the guards.

"Yes, they're protection."

"For who? Since when do you need protection?"  
"I don't. It was offered and it wasn't worth arguing about."

Octavia seemed to be taking everything in. Bellamy was just packing up his stuff.

"You and Lexa, right?" She guessed.

"How did you know?"

"Please, you two were always summoning each other, finding excuses to be alone together. I figured you were getting it on."

"We weren't getting anything on." Clarke felt the need to defend. "Nothing happened until I arrived here." She left out the kiss because it didn't exactly help prove her point.

"And what? You're together?" Bellamy asked. He stood up straight and placed his pack on his shoulders.

"Yeah, we're together." Clarke admitted before really thinking about it.

"So, you're like a grounder now?" Octavia asked with a little hurt in her voice.

"No, I'm not a grounder. I'm just Clarke. I can't help what I feel for her." She paused and shifted her pack. "Now, let's go."

Octavia spoke no more of it and Bellamy was silent on the matter as well as the seven of them started back to Jaha. The grounders spoke only to each other and only rarely since Octavia spoke their language fluently and Clarke had picked up some along the way.

"Where's Lincoln?" Clarke asked Octavia after several hours of walking non-stop at a brisk pace.

"He's back at the camp. I asked him to watch over Raven and your mom."

"Thank you." Clarke expressed.

"Don't thank me. She's still dying, Clarke." Octavia said with no emotion and walked ahead of the group.

"Don't be mad at her. She's still upset about Indra ditching her in the cave." Bellamy protected.

"I had nothing to do with that. Why is she taking it out on me?"

"She's taking it out on everybody."

They slept outside that night with the grounders taking turns keeping watch. Octavia didn't trust them so she stayed up for half the night and Bellamy took part in the second shift watch. Clarke tried her hardest to sleep and when the nightmares came, she woke and wished she had Lexa there beside her.

At dawn, they packed and quickly started off again. To make it there by nightfall would be a miracle, but Clarke was hoping for one.

"No one understands why you just left Clarke." Bellamy told her as they walked behind Octavia and in front of the grounders. "I mean, I get it. Kind of. Blood's on my hands too. I was there. I saw it. I just wish you would have stayed."

"I couldn't, Bell. You know why."

"Because of her?" He asked.

"Lexa? No. It wasn't like that." Clarke began. "I wasn't looking for her. At least, I don't think I was. Now it kind of seems like that, but when I left, I just wanted to be alone. I didn't want anyone to have to depend on me for a while. I just picked a direction and kept walking. I ended up at the capital."

"I get that you wanted to go, but you could've waited."

"I didn't want to go, Bellamy. I needed to go. I can't explain it any better than that. Now, come on." She started walking faster. He held back recognizing the moment to press her had passed.

They made it to the entrance of the camp around midnight. The Jaha guards let them through and Clarke used all the energy she had left after two solid days of walking to run to medical in search of her mother. The lights in the room were dim, but she could make out at least 6 people lying in beds. She walked over to each and checked to see who it was. A few of them were people she didn't recognize. Wick was in a bed next to Raven. Raven was hooked to machines, but he appeared to be unharmed. Clarke remembered their connection from before and guessed he was just there to keep her company. Clarke hoped Raven would let him in after what happened with Finn. She deserved to be happy and Wick seemed like a good guy. There was a woman in the last bed, but it wasn't her mother.

"Clarke?" Her mom asked and Clarke spun around quickly to see her standing there holding an IV bag.

"Mom? You're okay?" Clarke ran to her and hugged her.

"Careful!" Her mom said. She embraced her daughter gingerly. Clarke pulled back.

"Did I hurt you?"

"My leg. It's still healing."

"But you're okay? Other than that?" She looked her mom up and down.

"I'm fine."

Bellamy and Octavia entered the tent.  
"Bellamy, what the hell?" Clarke pushed him against the wall. "She's fine! You told me she was dying!"

"Clarke, it wasn't his fault." Abby said. "I told him to get you here."

"He told me you were dying, mom!"

"I had to get you back here."

"It was my idea." Octavia joined in. "I knew it would work."

"Clarke, don't be angry with them."

"Why am I here?" Clarke asked folding her arms across her chest.

"Because this is where you belong." Abby responded and walked to her daughter.

"That's for me to decide, mom. I'm not a child anymore. You can't just dictate what I do."

"You need to deal with what happened and being on your own won't help you do that. We can help you, Clarke." Abby paused. "What happened at Mount Weather is not your fault."

"I am dealing with it and I wasn't alone, mom. I was with Lexa."

"That's the last person I want you with. She's the reason-"

"She's the reason I'm getting through this!" Clarke stopped her mother.

Just then beeping on one of the machines increased in rhythm.

"Raven!" Abby announced and ran to Raven's bedside.

"What happened?" Wick woke up and sat on his bed watching Raven seize, unable to do anything.

"Hold her down!" Abby ordered and Wick helped with her shoulders. Bellamy and Octavia each took a leg. Abby injected something into her IV and Raven's seizure slowed before stopping.

"What's wrong with her?" Clarke asked after watching the whole thing from a few feet away.

"They took a lot of her marrow, Clarke. She hasn't been responding to treatment how I'd like."

"But she'll be okay, right?" Wick asked looking at Abby desperately.

"I don't know yet, Wick. I'm sorry." Abby stood up and looked over at Clarke. "Your friends need you here, Clarke."

"I'll stay for a couple of days. Until Raven's out of the woods. I owe her that much, but then I'm leaving."

"Abby, why are there 4 grounders standing outside the camp?" It was Kane's voice as he entered. "Clarke? You're back?"

"They're with me." She told him.

"You brought grounders?"

"They escorted us for protection. You should let them in. They're with me. They won't hurt anyone."

"They won't help anyone either." Wick stood. "They left us on that mountain. They're the reason Raven's in this bed right now."

"They stay or I go." Clarke stood her ground. "They'll stay out of the way and they'll leave with me."

"Clarke, you don't have to go." Kane stated and walked closer. "You saved us all. The people here want to thank you."

Clarke started back outside.

"I don't want anyone's thanks, Kane." She left medical and walked outside. She breathed a deep sigh of relief that her mother was alive and well. She worried about Raven and others. Some she'd lost on the mountain and some before that. She missed her dad because he'd always provided the best advice.

Kane exited and walked toward two camp guards. He spoke with them briefly and then motioned for the grounders to enter. They joined Clarke and without saying anything, she walked them to a space they could call their own while she was here. She returned to her old bunk. It looked exactly the same as when she left it the last time. It even smelled the same. On her bed was a black, leather jacket. She'd gotten it from Lexa. She was to wear it the night of the battle, but it was too small for fighting because it made it hard to move so she was given a different one. She smiled at the thought of Lexa giving her gifts. The jacket was a gift even before their kiss in the tent. In parts, Lexa had told her. She'd fell in love with her in parts.

When she woke in the morning, she checked on the grounders who were already up and had gone hunting in the woods surrounding the camp. She'd assured them she was safe inside its fence. She walked into medical and saw the bed next to Raven was empty. Wick was probably told to get back to work. There were two people working, but Clarke's mom wasn't one of them. She sat on the bed next to Raven and watched as the girl slept.

For four days, it was like this. She'd wake, check on the grounders, walk to medical and sit next to Raven. After that, she'd return to her bunk while the others worked. She recalled her time in solitary on the ark, she listened to the music engineering had figured out how to play over speakers throughout the camp and she'd think of Lexa. She took lunch outside, but with Bellamy only. Octavia still kind of hated her. People tried to thank her when they saw her, but she never said anything back. She'd nod or do nothing at all. She didn't deserve their thanks. It was her responsibility to find them and get them out of that mountain. Nothing more. She tried having dinner with her mother, but that ended when they argued over Clarke's decisions. The missile was still on Abby's mind. Even though she said she understood Clarke's decision not to say anything, there was still something there in her tone that made Clarke feel like no matter what she did, she'd always be a child to her mom. Her father never made her feel that way. She longed for him.

By day five, Raven still wasn't awake and Abby worried there was something internal she'd missed. They reviewed charts inside medical while people in the camp played games outside reveling in the fact that, for once, there was no enemy lurking out there trying to kill them.

The surgery was 13 hours long. Abby had missed something, but it wasn't her fault. They had some of the equipment the ark had to offer, but not all of it was running and resources were scarce. Raven barely pulled through the operation and required several blood transfusions.

Clarke didn't want to participate in anything the camp had to offer. She just wasn't ready to be involved again because being involved meant being in charge for her. There really was no alternative. Even the adults deferred to her at this point. She had to stop thinking of them like that though. The adults versus the children. The original 100 were children, but the surviving group had long since grown up. It wasn't the children trying to lead the adults. It had turned into people leading people and she didn't want to be a leader right now and she couldn't be a follower. She didn't have that in her. In that way, Lexa was right. She was born to lead because she wasn't born to follow.

"Clarke?" Abby asked walking into Clarke's bunk.

"Raven?" Clarke jumped.

"She's okay. She's still out, but she's okay."

Clarke relaxed her body.

"Good. I'm going to check on her before I call it a night. Is there anything I can do?"

"You can talk to me." Abby said and sat down next to her on the bed.

"Mom, that's not what I meant."

"I know, but Clarke, you need to talk to someone. Why not me?"

"Because you don't understand."  
"I don't understand? People dying? Clarke, I'm a doctor. I lived on the ark. I dealt with life and death everyday."

"But you were upset about the missile?" Clarke explained her concern.

"In the moment, yes. I didn't understand your decision to let others die." She started. "It took me some time, but I understand now. I'm sorry I didn't get it then. The emotion of it all-"

"I had to turn those off."

"Clarke, you can't just turn off your emotions. Even if you try, they just come right back."

"I know that now, but Lexa was right, mom. We couldn't give up Bellamy. If we would have stopped the missile, they would have found him and the acid fog wouldn't have stopped and we wouldn't have been able-"

"To save everyone. I know." Her mom finished.

"I didn't want to do it." Clarke lowered her head.

"I know that too. Believe me, I understand what it's like to have to make those decisions now, honey." She rubbed Clarke's back. "I can't say I understand your situation completely, but I can try." She took a deep breath. "I remember the feeling of hugging you on the ark for what I thought was the last time."

Clarke looked over at her.

"The day we left?"

"Yes." She paused and rested her hands in her lap and clasped them together tightly at the memory. "I hoped the earth was survivable. I hoped I'd see you again, but I didn't know and I had to send you here. I had to possibly sacrifice my own daughter for the greater good of the human race."

"Would you do it again?" Clarke asked.

Abby looked at her and then back to her hands considering.

"I don't know. It wasn't entirely my choice the first time, was it? You were to be executed in a month. I don't know if I could have convinced Jaha to change that. I'd tried after your arrest. Every day, I tried, but the law was the law and there were no exceptions." She paused. "Your dad probably would have done better." Another pause with a deep breath. "He couldn't have saved himself, but he was good with words. He had a way with them. He might have been able to talk to Jaha or Kane and convince them, but I'm not as good as he was."

"Mom…"

"Coming here gave you a chance. I had to take it." There was a tear rolling down Abby's cheek. She swiped it away. "I know you think you have to go, but you don't. You can stay. You don't have to participate if you're not ready, but you should stay, Clarke. We all want you here."

"I know, but…"

"Clarke, you have a visitor." It was Bellamy at the open door.

"Who?"

"Guess." He said and walked away. Clarke didn't know what that meant, but she stood and walked out of her bunk. Her mother followed not knowing what was going on either. They exited and walked toward the front of the camp following Bellamy.

It was then that Clarke saw all four of the grounders standing at the entrance. She approached them with her mother behind and Bellamy to her right.

"Heda wishes to approach." One of them stated.

"What? She's here?" Clarke asked. "How many days have I been here?"

"Who's here, Clarke?" Her mom asked not knowing the term for commander in grounder speak.

"Where is she?" Clarke asked.

"The woods. We can take you."

Clarke looked at the ground and then over at Bellamy.

"Good luck." He offered and walked off toward medical.

"Mom, Lexa's here."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"What?" It was Kane coming over. "What is she doing here?" He asked.

"She's here for me." Clarke said. "I told you I wasn't staying. She wasn't supposed to be here this soon."

"She can't come in here, Clarke." Abby told her.

"I'm not making her sleep in the woods, mom."

"She's not permitted inside this camp. It was bad enough you made us take them in." It was one of the guards at the entrance. Clarke didn't know his name.

"Then, I'll stay out there." She started walking back toward her bunk. "I'll grab my stuff and I'll come back to check on Raven in the morning."

"Clarke…"

"What? Mom? You won't let her in. What am I supposed to do?"

"Leave her." Kane suggested. "She left us."

Clarke glared at him.

"She made a decision and has to live with it and trust me, she is. Just like I'm living with mine."

She walked back inside her bunk and started packing her things.

"Clarke, it's not their fault." Bellamy told her, standing in the doorway.

"I know they're mad. I was mad. Sometimes, I still am, but I have to move on, Bell." She looked up from her stuff. "And so do they."

"They need time too."

"They can have it. I can't just not go out there, Bellamy. She knows she's not welcome here. I'll just stay with her tonight, check on Raven tomorrow and-"

"And then what?"

"I don't know." She replied honestly.

"Do you remember that story our parents used to tell us?" He sat on the bed.

"Which one?"

"I think it was one of your dad's favorites. I remember him reading it in the library to a group of us." The library was a small room, which held some books and also only about 6 people at a time. "It was Shakespeare. Romeo & Juliet."

"Yeah, I remember?"

"Which one are you, Clarke?" Bellamy asked and gave her a smile.

"Does it matter?" She asked, zipped her pack and tossed it over a shoulder. "They both died." She smiled back at him momentarily. "Bell, I love her." She stopped in the doorway.

"I know. They loved each other too though." He stood and followed her out. "Just be careful, Clarke. That's all I'm saying. Things are tense right now and you two getting together isn't going to help anything."

"It helps me." She told him and started walking toward the entrance of the camp.

"Clarke, just stay." Abby almost begged.

"I'll be back tomorrow, mom."

"No, just stay. Kane?" She looked at Kane.

"Just her. No one else. The rest of her group stays outside the fence including the four you brought with you." He was angry. Clarke could tell this really wasn't his decision.

"Will she be safe?" Clarke asked.

"She needs to be with you at all times. If she's alone-"

"She won't be." Clarke completed.

"She should be gone tomorrow, Clarke." He continued. "As soon as possible."

"I'll talk to her." Clarke told him. She looked at her mom. "I still need to get her. She won't come in here without me."

"Just leave your stuff so I know you're coming back." Her mom replied with a hint of desperation. Clarke dropped the pack on the ground and walked off with the grounders.

"Lexa, what are you doing here?" Clarke asked as soon as she was within earshot.

"I told you I would come for you." Lexa replied and walked toward her.

"It hasn't been 10 days yet."

"I couldn't wait."

"You can stay the night, but we have to leave in the morning." Clarke told her.

"I'll have a tent setup."

"No, they'll let you stay with me."

"In the camp?" Lexa asked, unsure.

"Just for the night." Clarke told her. "It's safe." She assured.

"How is your mother?"

"She's fine. It's a long story. I'll tell you on the walk back to camp."

She turned to walk.

"Clarke, I am not welcome there."

"You are tonight. Just come on." Clarke pulled her hand until Lexa caught up to her.

A few minutes later, they approached the entrance of the camp cautiously. Most people were already in their rooms for the night. Kane, Abby and a few guards stood waiting.

"Commander." Kane greeted with what respect he could muster.

Lexa nodded.

"The guards have to remain outside." Clarke told her.

Lexa gave the order and the guards stood back while the two girls walked into the camp.

"It's just for the night." Kane reiterated.

"We understand." Clarke told them. Lexa appeared to have gone mute. "We'll just stay in my room."

"I took your stuff back there." Abby told her. "I guess I got _some_ persuasive tactics from your father after all."

"Thank you." Clarke pulled Lexa along, lacing their fingers together. Abby followed.

"Clarke?" Her mom questioned. Clarke turned around.

"Yes?"

"Why are you holding her hand?" Abby asked staring down at their intertwined digits.

Clarke looked at Lexa and then back to her mother.

"I think you know, mom." She turned back and continued walking. Abby stopped following. She realized maybe she'd said that wrong. She turned back around causing her to pull her hand away from Lexa who stood there looking around, checking for people who might be trying to kill her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Abby nodded, but Clarke could tell she was still trying to piece it all together. Clarke nodded in her direction and walked toward her bunk with Lexa at her side.

"I'm surprised they let me in." Lexa said when they'd finally made to privacy. She looked at the small bed with Clarke's pack on it. "Why are your things packed? You've been here for several days."

"Because I was going to stay with you out there tonight if they didn't let you stay here." Clarke confessed. She moved her pack to the floor and motioned for Lexa to sit next to her. "Why'd you really come early?" She asked her.

"I told you."

"Lexa…"

"I was worried you wouldn't return."

"I told you I would."

"I know." She looked over at her. "I trust you, Clarke, but I do not trust them."

"You're safe here." Clarke put her hand on Lexa's face and drew her into her.

"That's not what I meant." Lexa moved so Clarke had to move back on the bed. Lexa ended up lying beside her, caressing her cheek and moving her hand down the side of her body. "I was worried for your mother, but I was also afraid they might convince you to stay."

"They tried."

"I was worried they'd succeed."

"You shouldn't have. I meant what I said. I was going back to the capital." She stared into Lexa's blue eyes through the black paint. "Let's get this off of you." Clarke moved to the small basin in the corner of the room and dampened a cloth. Lexa didn't sit up. Instead she rolled so she was lying on her back. Clarke straddled her and gently wiped the paint off of Lexa's face.

"Will you be returning with me tomorrow?" Lexa asked her.

"I need to make sure Raven is okay. She's really bad, Lex."

Lexa smiled.

"I missed you calling me that."

Clarke smiled.

"If my mom says Raven is okay, I'll go with you. If not, I need to stay until she wakes up." Clarke paused both her speech and her movements. "She was on the table in Mount Weather. She didn't respond to treatment."

"I understand." Lexa told her running her hand up and down Clarke's arm. "If it were Indra, I would remain." She took the cloth and finished wiping her make up off and handed it back to Clarke who tossed it on the floor near the door. "I will remain in the woods with my men. We can return to the capital together once you know your friend is okay."

"You don't have too."

"You forget, Clarke. I owe Raven a debt as well." Lexa said and Clarke looked confused. "It was her work that disabled the power. That was the leverage I needed to free my people." Clarke understood. She lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"I understand why you had to do it, but don't say that outside of this room, okay?"

Lexa nodded in understanding and then started pulling at the hem of Clarke's shirt. She lifted it up. Clarke allowed her to remove it. Her bra was tossed to the floor while Lexa sat up and prepared herself for bed as she always did by taking off all of her clothes. Clarke did the same thinking it was only fair. They both stood momentarily to pull the thin blanket down and then they got in under it. Clarke climbed on top of her immediately.

"Clarke, remember when I told you love was weakness?" Lexa asked her before Clarke could lean down to kiss her.

"Of course."

"It is strength too. I see that now." Her arms went around Clarke's neck. "But it _is_ weakness."

"Lexa…"

"We must maintain the balance between the two."

"What do you mean?"

"You and I together, we can do great things. We can lead our people: your people _and_ my people. I believe that."

"Okay?"

"But my love for you drew me here. My focus was on you and my hope for your fast return. It lessened my ability to lead, Clarke."

Clarke looked down at her concerned.

"What do you want, Lexa?"

"Balance." She ran her hands through the back of her hair. "I need you, Clarke."

"I need you too." She leaned down to kiss her. Lexa placed a hand over her mouth.

"I've never felt this way. It is new to me."

Clarke leaned back to straddle her.

"Costia?" She asked in a hushed tone. Lexa shook her head from side to side to indicate it was not the same. Clarke was surprised. She wasn't sure what to think.

"I've never needed someone like this. So completely." She brushed her fingertips up and down between Clarke's breasts.

Clarke leaned back down and was finally granted her kiss. When it broke apart naturally, she moved to kiss Lexa's neck.

"I missed you." Clarke whispered in to her ear. "I missed you." She repeated.

When they woke, Lexa was in Clarke's arms. The blanket was more on the floor than on the bed. Clarke could tell it was long past dawn because the music that now played at breakfast was already playing on the loudspeaker. Lexa moved around a little, but Clarke held her close wondering if the girl was experiencing a nightmare or if she was just stirring and about to wake up. She couldn't move or she'd wake her, so she just lay there playing with her hair and listening to her breath. Where can they go where they can just be the two of them together and not Lexa, Commander of the Tree People and Coalition of the 12 Clans and Clarke reluctant leader of the Sky People? Were they destined to be torn apart or could they somehow find a way to make it work?

"You should have woken me." Lexa shifted.

"Why? I like you like this." Clarke shared.

"What? Quiet?" Lexa lifted her head to look at her.

"Peaceful." Clarke told her and reached for her chin to pull her in for a kiss.

"I don't believe I've ever been described as peaceful."

Clarke laughed. Lexa listened to it for a moment before climbing on top of her and starting another kiss.

"I should go check on Raven." Clarke said between kisses, but still completely complying with Lexa's lips.

"They will summon you if there are changes to her condition." Lexa guessed.

"Yeah, but-" Lexa stopped her with a hand movement downward. Clarke's breath stopped for a moment. Lexa started moving against her.

"They will summon you." Lexa repeated and started kissing her neck while rocking her hips down.

Clarke reached around Lexa and helped her create the movement she needed. Lexa's fingers worked outside first and then moved inside. Clarke held in her screams knowing the rooms here weren't exactly soundproof. When Lexa was finished with her, Clarke turned the tables and moved Lexa to straddle her as they'd done their first time. She held onto her and Lexa's hand pressed against the wall beside the small bed in an effort to give herself the ability to move more freely. When her other hand went to the wall too, Clarke knew she was close. Her hips were driving down into Clarke's fingers and Clarke watched her flat stomach move faster and faster until Lexa finally came. Her hands remained pressed against the wall for several seconds while she caught her breath. She looked down at Clarke and went to lean in for another kiss when there was a knock at the door. They both moved quickly to find their clothing.

"Uh… just a second."

Another knock.

"Hold on, I'm coming." Clarke threw on a shirt and some pants and looked to see that Lexa was covered up too.

She opened the door to see her mom standing there. Abby's expression was hard to read. Her eyes went to the girl behind Clarke and to the mussed bed. She looked back at her daughter.

"Raven's awake." She told her.

"How is she?"

"We're running tests. The internal bleeding has stopped, but she's not out of the woods yet."

"We should be going then." Lexa said from behind Clarke and then placed her hand on the small of Clarke's back.

"Why doesn't Clarke decide when Clarke wants to go?"

"Mom, whenever I decide to leave, it _will_ be my decision." Clarke told her and then looked at Lexa. "You should wait here." She told her. Lexa went to protest. "It's safer here than in medical. Just lock the door behind me. I'll come back soon." She looked back at her mother. "I'll bring you some breakfast and then I'll go check on Raven."

"I have food." Lexa told her and pointed to the pack she'd brought with her from the woods.

"I'll be back soon." Clarke turned to look at her. "Ai hod yu in." Clarke told the concerned looking Lexa in her native tongue knowing her mother didn't speak a word of it.

"I love you too." Lexa replied.

Clarke looked at her in disbelief. Abby looked more than concerned and very shocked.

"Come on. She's on sedatives. She might not be awake long." Abby told her changing the subject.

Once Abby was out of the room, Clarke turned and quickly kissed her.

"You'll pay for that one later." Clarke winked at her.

"How long have you two been…" Abby started almost the moment the door was closed.

"Mom, I don't want to talk about this with you."

"It's pretty serious with you two throwing around those words like that."

"Mom, please."

"Please what? Clarke, talk to me." Abby pulled on Clarke's arm.

"I love her, mom. What else is there to say?"

"How long have you two been sleeping together?"

"Since a few days after I got to the capital."

"That's it?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm your mother, Clarke. I care about who you love and who you sleep with and I especially care when it's her."

"That _her_ you're referring to has a name. It's real with Lexa, mom. I know that's scary to you. Hell, it's scary to me, but if I had to think about living without her right now, I…" She paused and rubbed her neck. "I couldn't or I don't want too. I don't know. I just know that she cares about me and she understands me in ways no one ever has. Can't that just be enough for now?" Clarke pleaded with her mother for understanding.

"Go visit Raven. She won't be awake much longer. I've got to make the camp rounds." It wasn't an answer to her question, but it wasn't an argument either. Clarke was grateful the subject was dropped. She'd never really talked to her mother about love before and she definitely never talked to her about sex. At least when they did, it wasn't like this. It was clinical because her mother was a doctor. There was talk of loving the person you choose to share that with, but it was put so matter of factly that it barely registered with Clarke that they'd discussed it.

Clarke arrived at medical and rushed to Raven's bed. The girl was awake, but just barely.

"Clarke?"

"Hey, I'm here."

"I thought you left."  
"I did. I came back to check on you."

"Can I have some water?" Raven asked trying to reach for a cup, but Clarke grabbed it instead and gave her a drink.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"That's the medicine."

"My leg hurts and my stomach."

"I can see if they can give you some pain medicine too." Clarke looked around for someone and nodded at them to come over.

"Are you back now?" Raven asked.

"For now, yeah." She paused and wiped Raven's brow. "I'm back for now."

"Clarke, how-" Lexa started, but then stopped when she opened the door to find Abby standing there.

"Can I come in?" She asked, but didn't wait for a response before walking into the small space.

"Are you planning to kill me?" Lexa asked her.

Abby turned around and shook her head.

"No, I don't think my daughter would like that, do you? Are you planning on killing me?" She asked as she watched Lexa close the door behind her.

"I would never do that to her."

"Like you would never leave her in the woods to fight Mount Weather alone?"

"I had to protect my people."

"And you had to sacrifice some of her people to do that?"

"I will have to live with my decision for the rest of my life, but I will not apologize to you for it. Clarke and I have discussed it. She understands as I understand her."

"You understand her?" Abby laughed in discontent. "That's my daughter." She pointed to the door. "She's my only child and she has had a hard life. Her father was executed, she was put in a cell and then sent here and when she gets here, there's a war with your people."

"We did not want a war."

"But you fought one?" She asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "She kills Finn so you won't cause him anymore pain, she's forced into an alliance with your people just to save her own and-"

"No one forces Clarke to do anything." Lexa interjected. "Clarke is strong. She's stronger than you." She paused. "She's stronger than me."

"She will make it through this then. Here with us."

"She will go where she pleases. It is not for either of us to decide."

"But you want her to go back with you?"

"Yes." Lexa took a step toward Abby. "Clarke makes me better. She makes me whole."

Abby looked at her suspiciously.

"And your people just accept her?"

"No." Lexa was honest. "They are trying. It will be easier for Clarke than it will be for me here."

"Because she didn't betray your people?"  
Lexa nodded with a look of building anger.

"In part." She said. "Also because Clarke is more… diplomatic."

Abby couldn't help but laugh at that word choice.

"I suppose she is, yes." She started toward the door. Lexa shifted to allow her to pass. "I want my daughter to be happy, Lexa."

"As do I."

"I want to believe that you can make her that way, but I just don't see how that is possible."

"If Clarke can, that's all that matters."

"If only that were true." Abby let out and then opened the door to leave.

"How is she?" Abby asked when she entered medical.

"She's awake." Raven responded referring to herself.

"Where have you been?" Clarke asked her mother from her position on the adjacent bed.

"Making my rounds like I told you."

"I spoke with Kane. He said he didn't see you-" Clarke was cut off by high-pitched beeping sounds. Raven's eyes were closed and she was still.

"Move over, Clarke."

Abby rushed in with several others. Clarke stood watching them try to revive her friend. The beeping continued to get faster and faster and she wished she understood what they were all saying in their struggle to save Raven.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

"Are you ready?" Lexa asked immediately after Clarke walked into the room. She was dressed and packed and stood, holding Clarke's pack up for Clarke to take. It was clear she wanted to leave Jaha as soon as possible.

"Lexa…"

"What happened?" Lexa set Clarke's pack down and lowered her own onto the ground next to it.

"Raven, she's not…" Clarke reached out and pulled Lexa into her. "My mom doesn't think she's going to make it."

"Clarke, I am sorry."

"It's my fault."

Lexa pulled her back.

"Fault lies with the mountain men only. You rescued her, Clarke. You saved her from more torture at their hands."

"It doesn't feel like that."

"It may not, but it is true."

"My mom says she has a week maybe."

Lexa looked at the floor for a moment.

"You wish to stay to see it through to say the words to her."

"What words?"

"Yu gonplei ste odon."

Clarke got a look of determination on her face.

"Her fight is not over!" She walked to her pack and put it on her shoulders. "There's a hospital with medicine and supplies and machines. My mom said there's nothing more _she_ could do, but with the right supplies, maybe Raven can survive."

"Clarke-"

"It's her only chance, Lexa."

"Clarke, the Old Ones are not an option."

"You said you were going to talk to them. You're set to meet, right?"

"The meeting is tomorrow. Indra will be attending. We will not make it in time."

"What will Indra tell them?"

"I've instructed her and the generals from the other clans to uncover the truth from them."

Clarke looked concerned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I want to know if what they say is the truth and I want to make sure there is no ambush awaiting my people."

"We might make it if we leave now. We'd have to hurry."

"And if we don't?"

"Raven dies and that's not happening."

Lexa gripped the door handle.

"Do the Sky People have horses?"

Clarke smiled.

By horse, the journey would take less time, but they couldn't ride freely because of the terrain. Clarke told her mother the plan and Abby was doubtful, but she understood Clarke's need to try. They gave them their one and only horse found in a meadow months ago and tamed, but not easily. Lexa was a masterful rider so Clarke let her take the lead. They rode together while the guards followed behind as quickly as they were able. They walked with the horse when they could not ride. They stopped only to drink and catch their breath. By nightfall, they only had a short distance to go, but it was nearly impossible with limited light from a flashlight and a torch Lexa was carrying. The horse grew tired and frightened at animal sounds and after Clarke tripped once almost reinjuring her ankle, Lexa decided they must stop until dawn. Clarke was resistant at first, but ultimately acquiesced because she knew Lexa was right.

"Mom, are you there?" Clarke asked into the walkie-talkie that Raven herself had pieced together. They weren't sure of the range, but Wick had been working on improving it since the mountain and she brought it with her just in case.

"I'm here." It came through with a lot of static. Clarke knew this would probably be the only time she'd be able to check in.

"How is she?"

"We put her in a medically induced coma." Clarke made out.

"How long?"

"We can keep her this way for a few days, but it's not a long-term solution. We're also running out of the drug we use to induce it. Ten days tops. Then, we'll be out and-" Static.

"We'll be back by then." Clarke told her and heard static. "Mom?" No response. She checked several more times, but she'd lost her. At least she knew Raven was still alive.

"Sleep, Clarke. I'll keep watch."

"No, I'm okay."

"I was right." Lexa said with a smile.

"About what?"

"No one can make you do anything you don't want to do. I told your mother that this morning."

"You talked to my mom?"

"She came to your room. She was worried about you… about us."

"What did she say?"

"She wants you to be happy. She doesn't know if I can make you that." Lexa's smile shifted slightly. "I do not know either."

Clarke shifted closer to the girl next to her and rested her head on her shoulder.

"I love my mother. I know she wants what's best for me and she doesn't think that's you." Clarke felt Lexa's head move as if she was looking out into the woods. "But she's wrong, Lexa. I'm the only one that know what I want and what will make me happy." Clarke lifted her head, leaned in and kissed her. "Whatever else happens between your people and mine, I know that. I know she's wrong and you'd be wrong if you believed her."

Lexa fell asleep in Clarke's lap. She'd told her to wake her half way through the night so she could keep watch and Clarke could sleep, but Clarke wasn't tired so there was no point. She just let her sleep while keeping an eye on the horse and listening for potential predators. Just before dawn, Lexa woke with a start and scolded Clarke for not waking her earlier. They took off once they'd packed haphazardly and made their way back to the capital. They arrived just as the town was waking and moving along in their days. Clarke wanted to go straight to the headquarters, but Lexa had to remind her that people had to be notified and arrangements had to be made to get them there to discuss the meeting with the Old Ones. She dispatched several people to take care of notifying the leaders of the coalition and took Clarke back to her house.

"I've had Hobbs draw you a bath." Lexa spoke of the maid that worked the house.

Clarke was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting to hear back that everyone was headed to the command center to discuss how to handle the Old Ones. Clarke was running through scenarios. She wasn't sure what to expect from them when she asked them for a favor before solidifying the relationship.

"I'm okay." Clarke replied into the space in front of her. Lexa knelt down and touched her knees.

"It will take several hours to get them here, Clarke. Atami has delivered the herbs I requested for the bath. They are calming and will offer relief for your stress."

"I'm not-"

"Stubborn?" Lexa smiled at her. "Would it make a difference if I joined you?"

Clarke smiled at her and within minutes, they were both dipping into hot water that smelled of eucalyptus and something like mint. Clarke sat in front of Lexa and leaned back against her.

"What if they won't help?" Clarke asked her.

"That is not to worry about now. There is nothing you can do to prepare for this. It is not a battle. It would be best for you to rest."

"I don't think I…" Clarke faded and with that her eyes closed. Lexa continued to layer her in warm water while she rested after hours of walking and worrying.

"Clarke, the coalition has gathered. We must go." Lexa told her and caressed her cheek. Clarke's eyes opened.

"Where am I?"  
"On our bed." Lexa stated what she felt was obvious.

Clarke sat up and looked around. She was still naked from the bath.

"How did I get here?"

"I had Tuk carry you." Tuk was the name of one of the guards. "Don't worry. You were covered. He saw nothing." She motioned with her nod toward Clarke's naked body.

"Good. How long have I been out?"

"4 hours."

"4 hours?! Lexa!"

"The Ice Nation's queen was out on a hunt. We had to wait for her return."

"The Ice Nation? Is she…"

"She is the one that took Costia from me, yes. She is a part of the coalition now."

"Lexa, how can you work with her after what she did?"

"I could not in the beginning." She paused and then stood. She grabbed clothing for Clarke and placed it on the bed for her to dress. "But with time, I was able. It was for the better of my people that we have an alliance."

"But she-"

Lexa sat down on the bed.

"Clarke, you allied with us after we forced you to kill Finn. You gave him mercy when I would not have. Yet you are here with me." Lexa illuminated. Clarke thought about that. "Costia's death was a terrible pain for me, but the Ice Nation did only what others would have done had they had the chance."

She was right and Clarke knew it. She looked at Lexa and wondered at her strength.

"I understand, but still it's just… with Finn… it was punishment for a crime he'd committed against your people."

"Costia's crime was being mine, being close to power. It is the same to rival clans as murder or any other crime. Jus drein jus daun, remember?"

Clarke did remember.

"Let's go." Clarke stood and dressed. Within minutes, they were making their way toward the command center where all clans would be represented. This meeting was about Raven for Clarke. It was about asking the Old Ones for help, but she knew it was so much more than that. It was also about these 12 clans that had a young alliance that needed to be nurtured not with an enemy, but with a common goal. If the Old Ones were to be trusted and that had all they said they had and more… If they were willing to share in that… Clarke had to find out more.

Lexa walked into a room of leaders and they immediately quieted their rambling. It was then that Clarke was sure she could rule over all of them. She garnered that kind of respect. She sat on her throne and other grounders, presumably from each clan slid chairs or symbolic thrones under each of their leaders. Once Lexa sat, they all sat. Clarke stood next to Lexa's throne momentarily until a man, dressed in warrior garb brought her a chair and sat it next to Lexa's right side. Indra stood there so Clarke was unsure if it was for her at first until Indra stood aside and walked behind the throne to stand at the left, gripping her sword tightly. Before Clarke sat, she looked at the wood engravings on the chair. Engraved in large letters in the wood of the chair was the word Skaikru. _Sky People._ Lexa was offering her a place in the coalition. She was offering her the chair to her right. Lexa nodded for her to sit. Clarke nodded and sat next to her.

"Clarke of the Sky People would like to address the coalition."

"Sky People do not belong to the coalition. The alliance was broken." It was the Ice Queen. She had the blackest hair Clarke had ever seen. Her war paint though was white with a blue tint to it and it covered most of her face in a pattern Clarke didn't recognize.

"That's not true." Clarke said. Everyone looked at her. "You left." She pointed out. "My people never officially broke the alliance."

"You wish to remain in an alliance with us?" She asked.

Clarke looked at Lexa, but Lexa was allowing her to run the meeting.

"Yes." That wasn't entirely true. She couldn't exactly speak for the people she'd left behind after the mountain was destroyed, but she had no choice. If she told them she was no longer technically the leader of the Sky People, she'd be unwelcome in meetings like this. When they'd left the camp, Clarke told Abby and Kane her plan and they agreed reluctantly so it wasn't necessarily a lie either.

"Even after the Commander chose her people over your own?" She questioned with a hint of something Clarke couldn't quite identify.

"I understand the Commander's decision. My people will come to understand it in time. They've had to make difficult decisions before."

"And we're to believe they forgive the decision of-"

"Hod yu rein daun!" _Mind your place._ Lexa stated with authority to the Ice Queen. "Allow her to speak." She demanded.

"None of that matters right now. The Old Ones are offering something that we must consider." Clarke continued. "Regardless of my people's place in the coalition, they have technology that can be useful to you… to us."

"We need no technology." It was another voice. A man dressed in fur from top to bottom with dirt spread across is face as if by one hand dragging it from his lower left jaw to his upper right temple.

"Then, don't use it." Clarke offered the objection. "But at least see what they have. Maybe something will be of use to you or to your people."

"We only agreed to this meeting with the Old Ones as an opportunity to ambush." It was the Ice Queen.

"That is not what was discussed in our meeting." Lexa expressed.

"It was discussed after you left the capital for the girl." She looked at Clarke with big eyes, almost wolf like.

"The girl is right here." Clarke stated before Lexa could speak. "The girl is the leader of the Sky People."

"Clarke rules beside me now as leader of the coalition." Lexa explained. Clarke turned to her with surprise on her face. "Anyone take issue with that?" Her dark eyes deepened in color with anger and frustration. "Speak now." She commanded. There was silence in the room. Even the Ice Queen seemed unsure if she should say something. "Osir keryon ste teina." The silence was interrupted with gasps throughout the room including a quizzical and concerned glance from Indra.

"Without our permission?" The man who'd objected earlier queried.

"It is done." Lexa repeated.

Clarke was unsure what her words meant, but she knew enough not to question them right now. She'd ask about them later. Everyone in the room stood. There was a moment of silence as they all looked at her and then they knelt reluctantly as if by tradition or custom. Indra even joined them with a quizzical look on her face.

They stood a moment later and the Ice Queen was seething as she sat back down.

"It appears it must come to a vote." She stated.

"Yes, it must." Lexa agreed. "Speak your thoughts on this matter. Ambush and scavenge or meeting as Clarke has discussed?"

"Ambush." The Ice Queen started it off.

"Ambush." Came from another man followed by 2 more of the same. That made 4 of the 12 members.

"Meeting." Two leaders spoke up. They both looked at Clarke with an expression resembling confidence.

"Same." It was the man who had originally objected. "The Sky Girl thought of the battle plan that won us the mountain." He nodded in her direction.

"Meeting." Lexa stated her opinion.

One more for an ambush followed by two for a meeting and then one for ambush. It was a tie. Clarke lowered her head.

"You are to vote for the Sky People." It was the man.

Clarke looked up.

"Clarke? What is your vote?" Lexa asked her and nodded. Clarke hadn't thought she'd get a vote.

"Meeting." She stated confidently. The Ice Queen wasn't happy, but as the meeting was dismissed, there was nothing more for her to do.

Lexa and Clarke walked back to the house with extra guards just in case the Ice Queen planned a different kind of ambush after feeling ganged up on in the meeting. Clarke felt like she'd made yet another enemy, but that it would be for the greater good. The meeting with the Old Ones was tonight and she needed to get help to Raven.

"Lexa, you wanna tell me what happened back there?" Clarke asked her as soon as they were safely inside the house.

"What do you mean?" Lexa asked, removed her coat and walked toward the stairs.

"When they all knelt on the floor for some reason… after you said something I didn't understand."

"Up here." She motioned for Clarke to follow. The maid and guards were standing nearby so Clarke guessed Lexa wanted some privacy.

They entered the bedroom and Clarke saw her bag had been unpacked and her things had been put away for her.

"The chair in that meeting was to signify that you are apart of the coalition of clans."

"I wasn't expecting that." Clarke expressed. "Can you just do that? Just invite another clan like that without their approval?"

"If I would have called it to a vote, I would have had the numbers. The people in most clans understand your value and the value of your people. There are some that are more concerned."

"Ice?"

"Yes, but that is more about me than it is about you. She and I have a history."

"Costia, I know."

"It's more than just Costia. The Ice Queen wanted an alliance with my people. Our previous commander refused. When I became commander, I refused."

"Why?"

"Because we do not trust them. We never have. They were invited here because we needed their numbers for the mountain. With the mountain destroyed, I expected her and her people to leave the coalition, but she has remained."

"Well, she always wanted the alliance…"

"With the Woods Clan, yes, but not with all clans." Lexa started and then sat on the bed. Clarke followed and sat next to her. "She wanted the alliance because our two clans together outnumber all the rest. We could have taken their land, their people, everything. We could have ruled together. She has remained because she hoped I would again consider ruling with her by my side." Lexa looked over at Clarke.

"But now I'm by your side?" She started putting it together. "She wanted _you_."

"Yes." She answered plainly. "Though of different clans, we spent time together as children. Both expected to be Commanders. The Commander at that time originally considered an alliance and therefore encouraged us to spend time together."

"She had feelings for you you, didn't she?" Clarke asked directly.

"She did."

"And you loved Costia?"

"This was before Costia, but I knew I did not return her feelings. I did my best to tell her that, but she didn't seem to understand. By the time Costia and I began our friendship and our later relationship, she was Queen of the Ice Nation and you know the rest."

"I am sorry, Lexa. I wish you would have told me the whole story before."

"It changes nothing. We are where we are." Lexa replied. She lay back on the bed. Clarke stared down at her for a moment.

"What did you do to her in return?" Clarke asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how did you get revenge?"

"I got my revenge today." Lexa said and looked at Clarke. Clarke was confused. "With you by my side… that was my revenge."

"You didn't kill-"

"She had no one she loved."

"Except you." Clarke reiterated.

"She has since moved on."

Clarke lay next to her and rested her hand on Lexa's stomach.

"You still haven't explained why they knelt and what those words meant." She reminded.

Lexa rolled on her slide and Clarke followed to face her.

"Those words I said won't have meaning for you as they do for our people."

"So…"

"Osir keryon ste teina means our souls are tied. We are as one."

"You and me?" Clarke verified.

"I lied to them." Lexa began while reaching for Clarke's face to caress it. "I told them we had already bonded in ceremony."

"What?" Clarke was surprised. "Why? Just so they'd agree to not ambush the Old Ones?"

"For my revenge." Lexa explained. "It was wrong and I should have consulted you first. I apologize."

"Lexa, you told them we were married!" Clarke exclaimed, pulling back slightly.

"We don't call it that."

"It's the same thing."

"I can tell them the truth if you'd like." She ran her hand down the side of Clarke's body encouraging her to slide back close to her. "It wasn't all for revenge. Only a small part really. If they believe we are bonded, they will be more likely to follow you as they would me. They'd be more likely to trust you, allow you to be a full participant in the coalition."

"But we're not bonded!" Clarke exclaimed the obvious.

"Is it your intention to be someday?" Lexa asked her with all the vulnerability in the world.

Clarke didn't know what to say, how to react. This was not how she thought this conversation would go.

"I don't know." She replied honestly. "I know that I love you, but that is not something that happens so soon. I guess sometimes it does. On the ark, there were couples that got married fast, but-"

"I'm not asking you, Clarke. Not now. I just wanted to know if you thought you might one day. Not even to me. I just meant… at all."

Clarke smiled at her.  
"I told my mom that I couldn't imagine living without you." She recalled with another smile. "Can that be enough for now?"

Lexa pressed their foreheads together and sighed.

"Yes, it can." She kissed her lips gently. "What would you like me to tell the others?"

"Nothing. Let them believe it if it helps things. At least for now." Clarke kissed her again. "What did they mean about their permission?" She asked.

"In an alliance such as this it is customary for Commanders and generals to ask the permission of the others to bond their soul with another. Technically, it is not permission. We can bond with whoever we choose, but it can create breaks in alliances if it is with the wrong person."

"Am I the wrong person?"

"No Clarke." She kissed her. "You are the not the wrong person." She rolled on top of her. "You are the only person." She pecked her neck once and then again. "If they persist in speaking about it, tell them the ceremony was performed in the woods before the first meeting with the Old Ones. Tell them Indra performed it. I will explain to her what she must do."

"She seemed just as shocked as the rest of them."

"She believed me. I will tell her later that I lied."

"Why later? Why not send for her and tell her now? Just in case one of the leaders-"

Lexa captured her lips for a heated kiss.

"Because right now I am doing this." She kissed her again and her tongue found Clarke's. They battled for dominance for a moment until Lexa gave in and Clarke climber on top of her.

"We should be preparing for tonight." Clarke tried to enforce while Lexa's hands were moving fast and everywhere.

"The meeting won out. Not the ambush. There is no preparing."

"I just… with Raven…" Clarke couldn't finish. Lexa stopped moving her hands over Clarke's body and looked up at her.

"You feel you should be doing more. You feel like every moment of your day should be spent trying to fix her, to fix the problem or the battle plan or take care of someone who's injured or needs food or shelter. You feel like it all rests on your shoulders."

Clarke sighed.

"Yes. This is what I was trying to get away from. I just don't know if I can go this again."

"The difference this time is that you will not be alone. I will be beside you." She took both of her hands and put them on Clarke's cheeks forcing the girl to meet her eye. "Always." She insisted in case Clarke worried that she'd leave her in battle again.

Clarke laid her body on top of Lexa's and just let her hold her and run her hands up and down her back.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

They arrived at the meeting before the Old Ones. The Ice Queen had insisted on joining so the three of them awkwardly waited with Clarke checking her father's watch repeatedly despite the fact that it didn't work. Each minute they waited was another minute Raven was without the treatment she needed.

When York and Carolina finally arrived, Clarke jumped right in.

"Thank you for meeting with us." She started.

"Thank you for accepting our offer."

"We've accepted no offer." The Ice Queen told Carolina with disdain.

" _You_ called us." York emphasized.

"I know." Clarke told them holding her hand out as if to stop anything that might happen. "We're interested in hearing more about your offer."

"Fine. What do you propose?" Carolina asked.

"I have someone in need of medical attention." I shared and avoided the Ice Queen's glare. "She's a 2-day walk from here, closer to 3. Our doctors can't do anything for her and she's going to die. I propose that I take you to her and you take her to your hospital."

"We can do that." Carolina agreed.

"And I'll come with you."

"Clarke!" Lexa wasn't prepared for that.

"I will come with you and see this place. I'll report back to the other clans what I find and they will decide what, if anything, they accept."

"Okay."

"There will be no obligation for them to accept anything from you regardless of what happens to my friend."

"Understood."

Clarke looked over at Lexa and took her hand.

"And my wife will come with me." Clarke stated, trying to make it sound like a natural expression of those words, which it definitely was not. Lexa looked at her slightly confused and then recalled that with the Ice Queen there, Clarke had to keep up appearances. Clarke also wanted the Old Ones to see a united front. The coalition and between two of its leaders. She was also kind of interested to try out that word since their earlier talk.

"You and your wife are more than welcome."

"And my guards?"

"You may bring as many as you feel you need, but we will bring you no harm. As I've said, we want only to help you."

"We do not need-" The Ice Queen started.

"Thank you." Clarke finished for her.

"How would you like to proceed?"

"You said you have vehicles."

"Yes, about 2 miles away from here." York said and pointed in the direction of the cars.

"There's a clearing we can take."

"It will take us further out, Clarke." Lexa said.  
"It won't matter. We're in cars. We'll more than make up for the time." She told her and then looked at York. "Lexa and I will meet you at the cars with our stuff and we'll drive to Raven. How quickly can you get her to your hospital?"

"York is our pilot. I'll send him to the plane to prepare it. I'll drive you and then we'll fly back. We could have her there in hours."

"Good." Clarke stated.  
"I am coming as well." It came from the Ice Queen.

Clarke turned to her.

"You want to come, come, but if you get in the way even once, I will not hesitate-"

"You threaten me, Sky Girl?"

"No, the Sky People and Woods Clan threaten you. With our clans united, you wouldn't stand a chance." She paused and looked at Lexa who nodded in agreement. "You can be on the right side of this and save everyone a lot of pain and death or you can be the cause of another war. You decide."

She appeared to be considering her options. She looked over at Lexa and then at their combined hands.

"I will send a general in my stead. It is better to be with my people right now with this alliance still so new."

"Excellent choice." Clarke half-mocked and then the three of them walked briskly back toward the capital breaking off once they arrived at Lexa's house.

"You did not tell me you intended on going with her." Lexa told her as they walked upstairs.

"I can't just let her go alone, Lex."

"You can send your mother. I can send a general as the Ice Queen is doing. They can report back. We do not need to go."

"Speaking of that Ice Queen, I thought you said she moved on."

"She has bonded with another. Two years ago."

"That doesn't mean she's moved on, Lexa. That girl still has feelings for you."

Clarke grabbed her pack. She'd packed it before the meeting. Lexa was in the process of packing a few things.

"It doesn't matter."

"She couldn't even go with us when she saw us holding hands. The idea of seeing us like that…"

"Her feelings do not matter to me. She is a necessary ally. That is all." She finished throwing items into her bag, which was pretty much always packed anyway in case she had to go into battle. "You know you have nothing to worry about. You are all I want and if she acts against you, she acts against me. It's as you said at the meeting. We are stronger than she is."

"I'm not worried about you and I. I'm worried that her feelings might cause problems for the alliance."

"Do not put that on your shoulders too. Tonight, just worry about your friend." She took Clarke's hand and kissed her gently.

Neither Clarke nor Lexa had ever been in a car before. It was what Carolina called an SUV model. They had been extremely popular before the bombs. It was clearly pieced together from multiple cars leading Clarke to believe they hadn't yet mastered car manufacturing. Lexa and Clarke sat in the back row. Two grounder guards were in the middle and one was in the front seat next to Carolina who was driving so fast, Clarke had to take Lexa's hand. This was the fastest she'd ever moved and she'd never been inside something with an engine on the ground.

They arrived and parked the car right outside of the camp. Camp guards were there to meet them. Clarke told Lexa to stay outside the camp for now. She ran inside while Carolina, the grounders and Lexa waited.

"Mom, how's Raven?" She asked running into medical.

"Clarke? How'd you get back so fast?"

"They had a car. I'm going to take her with me. Can she hang on for a few more hours?" Clarke looked down at the girl who had beads of sweat on her forehead. Wick was there. He wiped them away.

"I'm going with you." Wick said.

"There's no room." Clarke told him. "There's barely enough room for her. We're going to lay her across the back seat and-"

"How many people are with you?" Abby asked.

"The woman, Carolina, Lexa, and 3 guards."

"Leave one of the guards because I'm going with you." Wick announced.

"Leave two of them. I'm coming too." Abby said.

"That's not-"

"Clarke, I'm going. End of discussion." Abby said. "Give me 5 minutes to pack."

"Me too." Wick said.

"Fine. Just hurry." Clarke rushed and Abby gave instructions for the others to move Raven.

They all met at the car and loaded Raven into the back seat. Abby held onto the IV and had Raven's legs draped over her. Wick sat in the middle row seat next to the grounder guard and Clarke knelt between those two seats facing Raven so as to keep her from shifting too much with all the bumps on the non-existent road. Lexa sat in the front seat while Carolina drove. The guards they'd left behind would have to walk back to the capital on their own. Lexa gave them instructions to inform Indra of the change in plan.

The drive was bumpier than Clarke remembered, but it could have just been that she was responsible for Raven this trip. Lexa kept turning around to check on them while Abby kept checking vitals as best she could given the circumstances.

"Clarke, you know this might not work, right?" Abby told her after taking Raven's pulse again.

"I know, but we've got to try, mom."

"What kind of equipment do you have at the hospital?" Abby asked Carolina.

"I'm not a doctor, but it's fully functional. We have all the old equipment from before the bombs and we've come up with some new things along the way. Dr. Harker is the Chief over there. I'll refer you to him when we arrive. He's expecting you and has a room ready for your friend."

"You're putting a lot of trust in these people, Clarke." Abby whispered to her.

"What choice do we have?"

Abby had no response for that. They continued until they arrived at a flat, open space where there was a small aircraft waiting for them. Clarke had been on a ship most of her life. She'd been floating in space since birth, but the idea of going up into the air in a tin can suddenly made her nauseous.

They climbed out of the car and York helped load Raven into the plane. There were 10 seats plus a pilot and co-pilot seat. Raven was rested in between the rows of seats with Abby and Wick sitting on either side of her. Carolina took the co-pilot seat even though she told them she's not a pilot. Clarke and Lexa took seats behind them.

"You're not a doctor, you're not a pilot. What do you do, Carolina?"

"She's our head recruiter." York replied and looked over at Carolina while he moved the steering mechanism of the plane and it started moving forward.

"I'm also the president." She illuminated.

"You are the leader of your people?" Lexa asked her.

"For now."

"What does that mean?" Clarke asked.

"It means we use the old ways. That might be why your people call us the Old Ones." She smiled back at Lexa. "We have elections every 10 years. I was elected 6 years ago so I will be replaced with another president in 4 years."

"You are not a leader for life?" Lexa looked confused and turned back to the guard who sat behind Clarke. He looked confused as well.

"No, we had someone like that in the beginning. He proclaimed that he would rule until his death. He was deposed and imprisoned after 15 years when it was discovered he had been siphoning goods and money for himself and bribing other officials." She paused as the plane lifted off the ground. Clarke immediately reached for Lexa's hand. They intertwined their fingers and held on as the plane went above the tree line "Later, a president gave up her title at 12 years because she had aged and felt she could no longer be effective. We voted and decided after that to have a ten year limit for all presidents with no ability to be re-elected." Carolina continued, but no one was really paying attention. Abby and Wick were focused on Raven and the grounder guard, Lexa and Clarke were staring out the small windows into the night.

It didn't take long for lights to start appearing on the horizon. Lexa had fallen asleep and her head was resting on Clarke's shoulder. As Clarke spotted the lights through the window, she nudged Lexa awake.

"Well, we're getting close. We should be landing in about 20 minutes." York told the crowd.

"Good. We need to get her to the hospital immediately." Abby stated.

"How is she?" Clarke turned around and asked her mother.

"She doesn't have long unless we can get her what she needs." She listed off a few medications and some tests she wanted to perform.

"We should be able to make contact with the hospital by now with the radio. Come on up here and tell them what you need." Carolina offered the radio to Abby who handed Wick the IV that was running incredibly low and headed toward the front of the plane.

Clarke followed her with her eyes before looking at Lexa who was staring out the window over her.

"What do you think?" Clarke asked as she took in Lexa's wide eyes.

"Is this what it was like up there?" She asked.

"In the ark? Not exactly. There weren't that many windows and when we did get a chance to look through them, it was just a big ball of white and blue mostly. Not like this." The lights became brighter and they could begin to make out the shapes of tall buildings. As they drew closer, it was clear that some of those buildings were missing top floors. They hadn't gotten around to returning everything to its previous glory.

"This is the tricky part, folks." York exclaimed. Seats belts please."

Lexa looked confused. They hadn't put seat belts on for the takeoff so she didn't know what he was referring too. Clarke helped her put it on.  
"Here." She clicked it in for her and then clicked her own in as well. She was hiding her own nervousness since it appeared Lexa needed her to be focused at the moment. She was looking around the plane and then back across Clarke to the window. Her breathing was fast and she was undoubtedly nervous. "Lex, it's okay." She held her face in her hands. "I've got you. Just look at me." Lexa's eyes met Clarke's and as the plane shifted down and even further still, they just stared at one another. There was a rumble and then the sound the tires scraping the earth. "Right at me." Clarke continued to hold Lexa's face and stare into the depth of blue.

When the plane started to slow, Lexa's breath did as well. Clarke let go and took her hand instead.

"Thank you." Lexa offered. "I've never…"

"I know."

"We're on the ground?"

"Yes."

She let out a breath she'd been holding in for a while.

"And we're here?"

"Yes."

"Fast."

"If this works out, imagine Lexa. You'd have access to planes and cars and-" Clarke started thinking about the big picture.

"Let's go." Abby yelled over the loud sounds of a plane shutting down.

"There should be a stretcher waiting for us." York stood and opened the door. "Here it is." He pointed outside the door where two men were waiting with a rolling stretcher to take Raven.

They unloaded her and started walking her toward a large white car.

"Ambulance." Carolina pointed out to Lexa who just looked at her.

"I know what an ambulance is." Lexa shared. "We may appear primitive to your people, but we know the stories of old. We know the ways of the people who came before us. We choose not to live them."

"You didn't choose, Lexa. You had no choice. Your part of the world was decimated by the bombs. It's amazing anyone survived the devastation and radiation. Our part was destroyed, but less so. We reached out time and again. We've been to many parts of the country trying to find people. Some have joined us. Others have refused."

"Why did they refuse?" Lexa asked as Wick and the two men lifted Raven's stretcher into the ambulance. They all climbed in. The guard followed York, Carolina, Lexa and Clarke toward another waiting car.

"The same reason your people have refused over and over. Change is hard."

Clarke watched the ambulance pull away.

"Change isn't hard." Clarke stated. "It's not easy either." She worried after Raven as she opened the door to the car to climb in. "It just is."

They all got into the car and it followed after the ambulance toward the hospital.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

The hospital was on the outskirts of the city so they didn't pass much on their way in. A few homes that had the lights on inside and some businesses that were obviously closed, but not much else. They were driven through the hospital bay where Raven was unloaded and taken into a room to be worked on. Clarke and Lexa couldn't help but stare at the people they walked past. Each one appeared to be going about their business and paid no attention to them.

Dr. Harker turned out to be about Abby's age and he rushed to Raven's side. Clarke and Lexa listened to the conversation between the two doctors before the door was closed in front of them.

"Let them work on your friend." Carolina said. "We've got a place you two can get some rest. You've had a long day."

"I'm not leaving." Clarke stated.

"Clarke, we should rest. Raven is in good hands." Lexa offered and took Clarke's hand.

"I'll stay with her." Wick stated. He motioned to his back and met eyes with Clarke. She understood that to mean he'd brought a gun and had stuffed it between his pants and shirt just in case they needed to use it. Clarke nodded.

"If something happens though-"

"You'll be the first to know." Carolina said.

"We will go." Lexa looked at the guard who stood fast.

"I'll have York show you to your house. I must be going. I have some business to attend to. I will check in on you tomorrow." She looked in the direction of the room. "Your friend is in good hands." She walked off.

"Come on. I'll take you." York started walking. "We have a house setup for you and one setup for the other two. Right next door. Tomorrow, I can take you on a tour of the city if you'd like. I'm sure Carolina would like to show you around herself if she has the time."

Clarke was so exhausted she couldn't even think about walking around a big city. It was then that she remembered they wouldn't have to walk at all. She smiled at the thought of driving around and taking in the sights of this place. She held Lexa's hand after climbing back in the car and all the way to the home only a few blocks from the hospital that had been setup for them.

When they got out of the car, their eyes went immediately to the house in front of them. The lawn was manicured. There was even a basketball Clarke had seen in games on TV on the ark sitting near the driveway where there was another old car parked. It looked like the driver's side door had been taken off another car and placed on that one. There was a light on the porch and a number on the front door. 1434. An address, Clarke thought. The house looked small, but huge compared to the space her entire family had occupied on the ark and her bunk since she'd been on earth. It was smaller than Lexa's place, but Clarke guessed Lexa wouldn't mind. She'd slept in worse and they wouldn't be here long.

"This place belongs to you." York said and tossed something in their direction. Clarke caught it. "Those are the keys."

"Who lives here?" Clarke asked.

"No one. Like I said, it belongs to you."

"We're not staying. We're just here for Raven." Clarke replied.

"For tonight or forever, it's yours. We told you we could help. We have available houses just waiting for people to occupy them." He removed their packs from the back of the car.

"What's the catch?" Clarke asked.

"That's what everybody asks at first. There is no catch. You just pull your own weight. Get a job, participate in the community. Don't cause any trouble. That's about it." He closed the trunk of the car. "There's electricity and running water inside. You don't even need a generator. We have a plant." He stated and Clarke thought back to the mountain men. "Carolina figured you two would want your own space so the others are in 1436." He pointed at the house next door. "I'll make sure they get setup when they're done at the hospital, but here are their keys for him." He motioned toward the guard.

"Thank you?" Clarke wasn't sure if she should be thanking him yet.

"Sure. Do you guys need anything else?"

"We're fine." Lexa said.

"Good night then. I'll come for you in the morning. Oh and if you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen." He climbed in the car and sped off.

"You ready?" Clarke asked as they both grabbed their packs.

"I guess."

They walked to the door and Clarke unlocked it. Lexa ordered the guard to take his leave for the rest of the night and go next door. That made Clarke feel like she was at least willing to trust this place enough to sleep without guards outside the door. Clarke was expecting an old musty smell when she walked in, but instead it smelled clean. There was a living room to the left that looked open to a dining room. Both spaces were furnished. There was even a television. Clarke saw a note on the table. She picked it up and read it out loud.

"No, we don't have our own TV shows here. At least not yet. We do, however have movies you can rent from a store. The TV and DVD player both work and will play them." She looked at Lexa. "You've never seen a movie, have you?" Lexa shook her head like Clarke was crazy.

"How would I have seen a movie, Clarke?"

Clarke laughed and then finished reading the note to herself before looking under the TV to the shelf that was there.

"They left us a few movies to get started with if we want."

She walked over to the shelf and pulled them off to look at them.

"I'm going to go look around. Check the perimeter." Lexa said.

"Lexa, you don't have to do that here. We can just… God, we can just relax."

"I'll check the perimeter and meet you back here." She was determined and walked outside.

Clarke looked around the kitchen and turned the light on to reveal hanging lights over a counter island. There were cookies on it. They looked and smelled fresh. She hadn't had cookies in years. She thought about waiting for Lexa, but she couldn't. She grabbed one off the plate and just as she was about to bite into it, Lexa entered.

"Clarke, don't!" She shouted and ran to knock the cookie out of her mouth. "We don't know if we can trust them yet. You can't eat anything."

"We have to eat, Lexa."

"We can hunt tomorrow."

Clarke smiled at her.

"There's no hunting here or if there is, we don't need to do it. I'm starving Lexa. Just let me eat the damn cookie."

"I will have Temple eat one first." Temple was the guard. "If he survives…"

"I'm not letting him be my taste tester."

"It is customary for all Commanders to have tasters."

"I'm not a commander, Lexa."

"The moment you accepted that chair in the meeting, you became the Commander of the Skaikru, Clarke."

Clarke picked up another cookie and took a bite before Lexa could stop her. Lexa looked at her dumbfounded.

"Guess I don't need Temple now." She held out a cookie for Lexa to take. "This is amazing." She savored the bite. "If I make it through the night, you eat this one." She joked about Lexa's seriousness.

"You don't just make those decisions for yourself now."

"I know. My people…"

"Me, Clarke." She stated and took the other cookie from Clarke's hand and slammed it on the counter. "You said you couldn't picture your life without me. What makes you think I can picture mine without you?" She walked off and Clarke was left with the realization that Lexa was right. The risks you take when you're on your own are one thing, but when you're with someone… when you love someone, they become part of the equation and Clarke had failed to consider that. She left the cookie and the kitchen and walked down a hallway past the bedroom with its still closed door and toward the bathroom where Lexa stood looking inside.

Clarke came up behind her and reached for the light switch to illuminate the room beyond just the light from the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around Lexa's body and rested her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Clarke apologized. "Ai sonraun laik yu sonraun." _My life is your life._

Lexa turned in her arms.

"And mine belongs to you."

"Lexa, we take risks all the time. This, being here is a risk." She motioned to the house referring to the city. "I can't promise you I'll never take another risk."

"I just need you not to take foolish ones. I will promise you the same."

"I can do that." Clarke agreed. She looked past Lexa toward the shower. "Do you think it works?" She asked.

Lexa turned.

"I don't know."

"Let's try it out."

"We should sleep."

"Lexa, I'm disgusting and you've had that make-up on all day. Shower. Sleep. In that order."

She walked into the bathroom and reached for the handle, turning it not knowing if anything would actually happen. Rushing water came from the spout. Clarke lifted the handle and the shower started spurting out water until it became an even current. Lexa looked closer and from under the shower head as if trying to figure out how it worked. Clarke smiled at her before taking off her shirt. She tossed it on the floor and then reached for Lexa's. She pulled it off while the other girl was still staring at the showerhead. She reached around Lexa's waist and started undoing her pants to pull them down. Lexa finally snapped out of it and helped remove them before turning to remove Clarke's. Clarke tested the water and it was hot. She hadn't had a real hot shower since the ark. The camp had them occasionally, but only for about 30 seconds or so before cold water started up again. The engineering team was working on fixing it, but Clarke didn't care about that at all in this moment. She climbed into the tub and allowed the hot water to rush over her body. It warmed her to the core as she ran her hands through her hair to allow it to soak through. Lexa was still standing off to the side as if waiting for an invitation. Clarke looked at her and then pulled her inside.

"I've never taken a shower with another before."

"Neither have I." Clarke told her. "Let's just enjoy it. Here." She shifted Lexa so she could be under the hot water and watched as the girl felt it running down her body. She ran her hands through her hair and lifted her head back so the water would run down her face, washing the harsh black make up down her neck, chest and then stomach until it finished running down her legs and beyond down the drain. Clarke reached for the soap that was sitting on a small shelf. She saw that next to the soap were two small bottles. "Oh my God, they have shampoo and conditioner."

"What?" Lexa exclaimed opening her eyes.

"For your hair. I haven't seen this stuff in years. Since I was a kid. We ran out on the ark along time ago. We barely had enough ingredients to make soap and toothpaste near the end." She opened the shampoo bottle and smelled its perfumed fragrance before squeezing a little in her hand. "Turn around."

Lexa did as requested and Clarke washed her hair. She lathered up the bar of soap and washed her body as well allowing the water to run freely without worrying about it running out or turning cold before Lexa returned the favor and cleaned her hair and ran the soap over her body. When they were finally clean and the soap was back on the shelf, Lexa pulled Clarke into her and their wet bodies met. They embraced for a moment under the water before Clarke pulled back and then leaned in for a kiss. It didn't take long for it to get heated. Lexa's eyes looked like she was going into battle, but excited about it as Clarke turned off the water and pulled her out of the shower to walk down the hall to the bedroom. She clumsily reached for the doorknob to open it as Lexa continued to kiss her and reach for her everywhere. Lexa practically pushed her on the bed and climbed on top of her. She was inside her within seconds, pushing and pulling while Clarke writhed beneath her. Clarke felt Lexa move down her body and then her tongue pressed against her. It didn't take long before she came inside and out and felt a release of tension she'd never experienced before. Lexa climbed back on top of her and kissed her deeply. She reached her hands between Clarke's legs and went to work again apparently not sated from Clarke's previous moaning and screaming in pleasure that was loud enough for the grounder next door to hear. Clarke came again and then didn't wait for Lexa to try something else. She flipped them quickly and smiled at the girl whose smirk Clarke loved. She moved her hips down into Lexa's and Lexa's hands moved to help her along. She increased her speed and with that, watched Lexa's wide eyes close. She was headed in the right direction. She reached her hand between Lexa's legs and touched her gently. The girl jumped slightly and Clarke realized she wanted more. There was something she hadn't done to Lexa yet and she was ready to now so she stopped her hand and hips causing Lexa's eyes to shoot back open in disappointment. Clarke just slid down her body kissing her along the way and spread her legs further apart. When her mouth made contact, Lexa's body twitched and she let out an audible sigh. Clarke kept working her tongue up and down how she'd felt Lexa do to her moments earlier. She hoped Lexa liked it as much as she did. She appeared to be enjoying it as her hips lifted off the bed and Clarke had to hold her in place. She listened as the girl came and then slid her fingers inside to make her do that all over again. A few minutes later, they were wrapped in each other on a bed that didn't belong to them.

"We should go back to the hospital." Clarke said into the air.  
"Now?"

"I feel like I should be there. I have no idea what's going on and she's the whole reason we're here."

"York left us a radio. Maybe we can use it to call the hospital."

"I'd rather go."

"Clarke, we'd have to walk. It's dark and we're in a place we are not familiar with."

"Maybe we can figure out how to drive the car. The keys were in the kitchen."

"They only use those sparingly, remember? Fuel shortage."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Sleep now. When the sun rises, if York has not returned, we will walk to Raven."

Clarke closed her eyes and fell asleep.

When the sun rose, York was not yet at the house so Clarke and Lexa set out on foot toward the hospital. Lexa instructor Temple to remain at the house. She didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to them. The houses, they discovered in the daylight, all looked the same. A few people were out already, but not many as it as early. They appeared to be going about their business as usual as Clarke and Lexa walked down the middle of a cracked street. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the hospital. It wasn't bustling, but people were working and patients were heading in and out of rooms and being tended too. They walked back to the room Raven had been taken to the night before. When Lexa spoke with Temple about remaining at the house, he'd told her Abby and Wick had never arrived. Clarke knew why when they entered the room and found Wick asleep on the floor and Abby sitting in a chair next to Raven.

"Mom?"

Abby turned. She looked exhausted.

"Clarke?"

"How is she?"

"She's doing well."

"Really?"

"We had to operate again, but we were able to stop the internal bleeding and they had blood here to give her. Her color's back and she's responding well to the treatment."

Clarke looked over and took Raven's hand. Lexa stood next to her.

"She's strong." Lexa stated and took Clarke's hand. "To have made it this far, she is strong."

Abby looked at Lexa.

"Clarke tells me you had a hand in us bringing her here."

"Clarke can be very persuasive."

Clarke smiled at Lexa and then looked back at Raven. Abby was looking at both of them.

"I can see it now." Abby said.

"See what?" Clarke asked her.

"You two… together."

Clarke looked at her confused.

"Mom?"

"You're good for each other, aren't you?" Abby questioned.

"Yes, we are." Lexa stated confidently.

"I may be extremely tired and not thinking straight, but I can see it."

Clarke smiled at the idea that her mother might actually be able to understand the two of them together. One less obstacle to deal with.

Raven started to stir.

"She's waking up." Clarke said. Abby stood and looked down at Raven.

"Raven?"

The eyes of a battered girl started to open slowly. She had a breathing tube down her throat so she wouldn't be able to talk. When she came to fully and realized it, she got scared and started flailing.

"It's okay. Raven, it's okay." Clarke assured her. "You're safe. We're here."

"Raven, you have a tube down your throat to help you breathe." Abby explained. "We can take it out, but I need to check your vitals first, okay?"

Raven was still shaken, but she nodded yes.

"Why don't you two girls get out of here for now? Let me examine her?"

"Raven?" Wick had woken in the commotion.

"She's awake Wick." Abby told him.

"Hey, there." He smiled at her. "I think you've slept enough, don't you?"

She couldn't smile with the tube in her mouth, but her eyes were smiling.

"Wick, why don't you go with the girls?" Abby asked.

"She just woke up."

"I need to examine her."

"We'll just be outside." Clarke stated and pulled Wick's jacket sleeve. The three of them walked to the lobby and sat in uncomfortable chairs that looked like they'd been there since before the bombs. They sat in those chairs for over an hour before Wick finally said something.

"So, you two are like… I mean obviously you're…"

Clarke and Lexa just stared at him.

"Yeah? What are we?" Clarke mocked.

"It's just… with what happened… I wouldn't have guessed you'd get so… close. Raven's in that bed because of her decision." He didn't sound upset. More curious. More tired than anything.

"That's not true." Clarke rebutted. "We don't know what would have happened had the grounders stayed. Maybe it would have been worse for Raven. Maybe she would have gotten killed. Maybe you would have too, Wick or me even."

Lexa took her hand.

"I am sorry about Raven, Wick." Lexa expressed.

He shook his head for a moment.

"You were right in there. She's strong. She's going to pull through."

"She will." Clarke agreed.

"And you two are together now?"

"We are." Clarke answered.

"Well, I'm not one to judge or question other people's…people. Just uh… take care of each other or something." He was exhausted.

"We will." Clarke rested her head on Lexa's shoulder.

Abby walked down the hall and ran her hand through her greasy hair.

"She's okay." She started. "We took out the tube. She's going to have a sore throat for a day or two."

"And?" Wick asked.

"I'm still waiting on some test results, but she's stable. In a couple of hours I'll know more, but I think she's finally out of the woods."

Clarke let out a sigh of relief.

"Can we see her now?"

"Dr. Harker is in with her now. I asked him for a second opinion. She's been given a sedative so she'll be out for a while. It's better if everyone just gets some sleep."

"You included, mom."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She sat in one of the chairs. "Where do we sleep around here?"

"Let me see if I can get us a ride. I don't think you want to walk it." Clarke offered and stood.

She returned with an ambulance driver who agreed to drive the four of them the few blocks to the houses and within about 10 minutes, her mom was showering while Wick conked out on the sofa before he could even make it to the other bedroom. Temple agreed to watch over both of them since he'd been able to get some sleep while they were at the hospital.

York pulled up just as they were about to walk into 1434 and try to figure out their next move.

"Hey you two, you ready for that tour?"

They climbed into his car, both in the back seat.

"Where's Carolina?" Clarke asked.

"Doing presidential things, I guess. You're stuck with me today. I thought we'd start at the north side of our little hamlet. The school's first on the list of sights to see."

He drove them for several minutes. They both looked out their windows at what looked like a thriving city. They drove through the main drag, which was more than just a drag. It had buildings 50 stories high that appeared to have damage at the top stories, but nothing really near the bottom and people were going in and out, presumably to and from work. There were tables outside of buildings with people gathering, eating and drinking. People were smiling and laughing. No one was screaming. No one was bleeding or dying or declaring war on another clan. There were kids at the school playground, running around and having fun instead of burying their parents or worrying about where their next meal might come from.

"How does this all work?" Clarke asked.

"What?" He asked back.

"The government. Carolina is president, but how does the rest of it work?"

"Oh that. We have representatives. We have judges and a few lawyers and all that. We have a police department. The hospital is run by and cared for by the city. They are all city employees."

"How do you become a representative?" Clarke asked. Lexa appeared to be enamored by the on goings outside.

"Why? You interested in politics?" He laughed a little.

"She can be very diplomatic." Lexa stated while still looking out the window.

Clarke looked over at her and wasn't sure what to make of that comment.

"Not me specifically. Just if we go back and talk to the other leaders, they're going to want a role. You guys can't expect people who have commanded armies and entire clans to just suddenly become farmers or construction workers."

"They can be apart of the election process if they choose, but no one is just given a leadership position here." He elaborated. "They just have to add their name to a ballot."

"Our leaders are not chosen that way. They are not voted upon. They are born of the previous Commander."

"We understand things here will be different for you. It will be hard to acclimate at first, but I am sure you'll get used to it."

"There is no-" Lexa was getting upset.

"I think what Lexa is saying is that this part of their culture is non-negotiable." Clarke interjected. Lexa looked at her and nodded for her to continue. "They've done things this way since the beginning, York. Their leaders are reincarnated. That is engrained in them. If the clans were to come here to live and you told them their leaders were no longer in charge and that the way they've been doing things all this time is wrong, it would negate too much of their history."

"I understand. Most of the groups we bring in don't have strong beliefs like that, but that's not a decision I can make. That would be up to Carolina to present to the representatives. If they all agreed that your leaders would have a place and that place would be for life to respect your ways, there'd be no need for a vote."

"Understood." Clarke said. She knew that with the 12 clans, there would be no changing their minds on this issue. She could talk about less hardship, no war all she wanted, but if this place took away their fundamental belief of how their commanders are chosen, they'd all tell her no.

They passed the city center where they were welcomed by the president to a lunch in her office. The space was bigger than most of the bunks on the ark. It had an old-fashioned desk and long, thick blue curtains that hung on the windows. There was a small table off to the side where they sat and enjoyed a hot meal of beef and potatoes.

"How have you liked things so far?" Carolina asked. "I heard your friend is recovering."

"Yes, she's getting better."

"Dr. Harker said a few more days here and she'll be good as new."

"That's the plan." Clarke replied.

"What's your plan after that?" Carolina persisted.

"I don't have one." Clarke told her. "I just want Raven to get well. I'll worry about the rest later."

"And what about you?" She asked Lexa and took a drink of her water.

"I will bring all that I have seen to the Commanders of the other clans. If they determine a vote is needed, we will have one to decide whether the coalition will proceed with plans to relocate our people."

Clarke looked at her. She was unaware Lexa was this many steps ahead of her, but what she said sounded good.

"And what of your people?"

"What do you mean?" Lexa asked her.  
"Well, if you only tell your commanders and those commanders decide against coming here, you're people will never know they had the option."

"They trust in those who lead them."  
"I'm sure they do, but wouldn't it be better to involve all of them? Let each member of your population decide whether or not to join us here?"

"That is not how we do things."

"I understand." Carolina obliged. "It was just a thought." She looked at Clarke. "And how do your people do things, Clarke?"

"We don't have a defined structure at the moment. We used to, but we're still a work in progress."

"Clarke is the leader of her people. She has joined her people with the 12 clans. We are now 13 strong. She will be a part of the vote when we return after Raven is able."

"I see." Carolina said.

Clarke wondered why she just didn't say it that way. She guessed because it was easier to pull herself out of that picture of her people, but also because she was still so unsure that if she went back to Camp Jaha and told them she'd joined them in the alliance and she was their representative, what they might say. They might all support her as the hero of the mountain, but they also called Lexa the traitor and those 12 clans were just following her orders when she fled with the grounder survivors. She decided not to add to Lexa's statement. She didn't want to contradict her. She wanted them to appear as a united pair.

"We can sort through the details of how things would work later. No point in talking about it now if the others don't agree." Clarke stated.

"Well, what has York shown you so far?"

"We've done the north side and the west side so far." York explained. He'd been mostly silent since sitting down to eat.

"So you saw our school then?"

"Yes." Clarke answered.

"Good. Those children are our future. It's important we care for them." Carolina stated opinion as fact. It seemed a little out of place for a comment like that, but Clarke didn't know what to make of it so she just left it there.

They wrapped their lunch and the president sent them on their way to continue their tour. Clarke wanted to stop by the house to check on her mom and Wick and also the hospital to check on Raven, but York said it made more sense to finish the tour and end up back on the south side of the town instead of trying to go back and forth. Clarke used a radio he provided though and found out from Wick that her mother was sleeping soundly and he'd walked back to the hospital to check on Raven once already and was heading back with her mom in a couple of hours.

"Just do what you need to do, Clarke. We've got Raven." He'd told her. He seemed to understand that while the reason they hurried here was for Raven's care, there was more too it than just that and that she and Lexa were also here on a fact finding mission. "Maybe this can be our new home, Clarke." He'd said to her while York was talking to Lexa inside the car. Clarke climbed in the car and handed York the radio.

"We're good." She told him and he started driving again, playing at being the tour guide. He announced standard streets with houses on them excitedly as if something amazing happened there a long time ago. Clarke wasn't really paying attention and clearly neither was Lexa, who'd been uncharacteristically silent for much of the drive.

They finished their tour of the main part of the city by early evening and York dropped them back at the hospital so they could check in on Raven and then they'd all walk back to their houses together and also alone. No York, No Carolina. Just people Clarke could trust talking about the city and what they thought about it. She was particularly interested in hearing her mother's thoughts on if she felt the people from the ark would want to live here.

"She should be ready for transport tomorrow." Abby shared with the group about Raven. "She'll still have to be in medical for a few more days at least, but if we're ready to go, she'll be ready to go tomorrow."

"You think it's safe to fly her back so soon?" Wick asked.

"Dr. Harker is going to give me enough meds to get her through and he's offered to have her brought back if she takes a turn. She's good though."

"What do you think about this place, mom?" Clarke asked not sure what to expect.

"Well, it's definitely a step above where we're living now. The medical facilities and supplies alone would warrant me wanting to come here."

"Besides that though?" Clarke continued.

"Hot showers, food in a kitchen with stoves that actually work and schools for the kids." She paused. "If you're asking me if I'd want to live here, the answer is yes, but there's more to it than that."

"I know."

"They will want us to conform to their ways." Lexa said. "We cannot do that."

"We'll work that part out if we decide to stay." Clarke offered her.

Later that night, there was a dinner hosted in their honor at the president's house, which was only slightly larger than the homes the group had been occupying. Abby and Carolina spoke at length while Wick socialized with the 10 or so people at the party one or two at a time. Clarke and Lexa stood off to the side of the living room and waited for people to come to them. It was clear Lexa was not a social person so Clarke carried most of the conversation for them. People asked them questions about what it was like out there, what it was like in space on the ark, how they were doing setting up a civilization on their own. Their tone was mocking, but it didn't appear to be intentional. Lexa was seething beneath the surface. Clarke could tell she could explode on any of these people. Clarke took her hand and pulled her away outside while the others partied along inside.

"Are you okay?" She asked her when they were finally alone.

"I do not like these people."

"They just want to know how we live. They've been sheltered here. They don't know what it's like outside of this city."

"Why should we tell them?"

"Because if we're going to recommend the clans move here-"

"I'm not sure I will recommend that." Lexa expressed with a little frustration in her voice.

"Lexa, you saw this place. It's amazing." She pointed in the direction of the house with music playing and people laughing and talking. "What's so wrong with living here?" Clarke asked her.

"You were once concerned that you could not trust these people." Lexa recalled.

"I'm not saying I trust them fully yet, but there's nothing here to make me anymore concerned." She admitted. "I think we should tell the leaders to recommend migrating here."

"Hod op." _Wait_. "Clarke, you're talking about ending 100 years of beliefs and tradition to move to this place because it will be… easier?"

"Not just easier, Lexa. Better." Clarke told her and reached for her hand, but Lexa pulled back. "And I'm not talking about ending anything. We can talk to Carolina about how to best include everyone's beliefs and traditions here."

"It's not possible, Clarke."

"You won't even try it?"

"It is not something you try." She stared into Clarke's eyes. "I am a warrior, Clarke. I've been raised to command my people in battle." She looked around. "What would I do here?"

Clarke thought about how best to respond and took a deep breath.

"Be happy. With me." She reached back out for Lexa's hand and the girl obliged. "We could live in that house, Lexa. We could be together. Your people and my people. They will need time, but maybe this place can help unite them. You and I can decide what we want to do. No more war." Clarke hoped out loud.

"Your imagination is getting the best of you." Lexa said.

"Would you consider what Carolina talked about earlier? Letting people decide for themselves?"

"I will deliver orders to my people, but it is up to them to follow them."

"And if they chose not too?"

"You've seen what happens."

"That was different. He tried to kill me."

"Yes, he did, but he also disobeyed my order. That is why he lost his life."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" Lexa questioned and dropped Clarke's hand.

"Don't go backwards, Lexa. Don't go back to that place where you can't let your heart do anything. Don't tell me he was executed just because he didn't follow your orders. You and I both know it was more than that."

"If the clan leaders vote against settling here, none of the people will even know this place exists."

"You could change that."

"Why would I, Clarke?"

"Because it should be their decision. If they want to stay, so be it. If they want to live here, they should be allowed to move on without fear of being hanged."

"I do not want to talk about this right now." Lexa took a step away from Clarke.

"I'm telling my people." Clarke said. "Regardless of what happens in the capital. I'm going to tell them what's here and let them make their decision."

Lexa's eyes widened.

"And where will you live, Clarke?" Lexa asked her. "If I remain in the capital with my people, where will you live?" She gulped.

"I don't know yet." Clarke told her.

"You would live here." Lexa stated instead of asked.

"Maybe."

"With me there?" Lexa lowered her head. "If you remained at the camp of the Sky People, we could see each other, but here… it is too far to travel. It would take weeks to walk here. I could not be away from my people for that long."

"I know." Clarke took a step forward. "Lexa, I love you. I want to be with you."

"You want to be with me here."

"I want to be with you anywhere, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't considering this as somewhere I'd like to be." She paused. "You and I could have a life here. Beyond battles and blood."

"I am only battles and blood, Clarke of the Sky People."

"I am not Clarke of the Sky People right now. I am yours and you are mine." She reached for Lexa's waist and pulled her in hard. "And you are more than battles and blood or I would not love you." She pressed their foreheads together with little resistance from Lexa.

"What happens if I do not recommend settling here?" Lexa asked her with desperation in her voice. "I meant what I said. I do not think I can live without you."

"You and I will figure out our part later. First, we have to get back to the capital and to Jaha and tell them what we've seen here." Clarke closed her eyes. "If the other commanders vote to settle here, will you go along with it?" She asked trying not to sound hopeful.

"If the coalition's vote is to migrate here, I will have no choice."

"Lexa, you are _the_ commander of the coalition. You have every choice."

Clarke and Lexa fell asleep next to one another, but facing opposite directions. Clarke's nightmares returned, but this time Lexa didn't wake when she popped up from her sleeping position. Clarke didn't want to wake her so she went into the living room, closing the bedroom door behind her. She turned on the TV and put in a movie. They'd had a similar system on the ark so she knew how everything worked. On the ark though, you sometimes had to hit the side of the player to make it work. She sat on the couch that had been cleaned recently because it still smelled fresh and watched for a few minutes before she heard the bedroom door open and watched as Lexa, still looking half-asleep walked into the room. She'd put on Clarke's shirt and shorts to walk out since she'd fallen asleep naked. She didn't utter a word. She sat on the couch next to Clarke and watched the movie unfold on the screen. Clarke mostly watched Lexa. Occasionally, she'd watch bits and pieces of the movie, but Lexa was enamored with the moving images on the screen. She'd smile every now and then with her wide eyes looking happy instead of concerned for the first time really since they'd arrived.

After about an hour, Lexa's head moved to Clarke's shoulder and she folded herself into her. Clarke wrapped her arm around her and smelled the shampoo in her hair. She'd brought the cookies from the kitchen earlier and they sat on the table in front of them.

"It could be like this." She said.

"I know." Lexa understood.  
"You're scared."

"Yes."

"Me too, but Lexa, we've made it through so much already. We could do more than surviving here."

"I promise I will think about it." It was the best Lexa could offer and Clarke understood. They fell asleep watching the movie together and in the morning, packed their bags and met York for the ride to the hospital with the others to pick up Raven and head back to Jaha before leaving again for the capital.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

On the plane, Raven was actually able to sit up in a seat. She was still attached to an IV, but she was awake and talking and acting like her old self.

"I heard you and your people ditched us up at the mountain." Yeah, she was back to her old self again.

"Raven!" Clarke exclaimed.

"What? It's true."

"I have apologized to Clarke." Lexa told her.

"Screw that. You've got a whole lot more people to apologize too."

"She's working on it." Clarke helped.

"Well, she's got a lot of work to do." Raven stated.

Lexa nodded and walked back to her seat at the front of the plane. Clarke looked over at her mom and Wick who seemed to understand she wanted some time to talk to Raven alone and walked off toward the front of the plane with York and Temple, who was jokingly acting a co-pilot since Carolina couldn't make the trip back.

"I want to talk to you about something." Clarke started.

"What? The fact that you're doing the enemy?" She sounded more annoyed than angry.

"Wick told you?"

"Like I needed him too. I may have been out of it, but I've seen you two holding hands."

"Raven…"

"Do you really love her?" She asked. "I mean like it's really worth it kind of love… like worth possibly causing another war between two large groups of angry people because if you don't, then you should stop now."

"There's not going to be a war." Clarke responded. "And yes, I do love her." She looked at the back of Lexa's head from her position behind seated next to Raven. "I know with what happened with Finn, this might be confusing to you."

"It would have been a while ago." Raven shared. "I miss Finn. He was my first love and he might have been your first too, but I don't think that means he has to be your only."

"I meant the part about how he-"

"Died? Yeah, I know." She sighed. "It's going to take some getting used too… you being with her. I will never say Finn deserved what happened because he didn't, but I get that he killed a lot of people trying to save you and at the time, to them, that last part didn't matter. He killed their people and they punished him. If we had been on the ark, it would have been the same. Hell, if we were on the ark, Finn would have died for me… for the space walk as soon as her turned 18." She paused. "And what do you mean there won't be another war? You think everyone's just going to be as cool as me about this thing?"

"I sort of re-joined the alliance on behalf of everyone. I guess technically we never really dropped out of it, but we're in either way."

Raven snapped to attention.

"You joined an alliance with them after what they did to us? Are you crazy? Is this her?" She pointed at Lexa.

"No, this is me and I'm not crazy. The mountain men are gone. Instead of being angry and unable to move on and deal with what happened, I decided to just embrace the fact that for some reason people think I'm supposed to be some kind of leader. The alliance makes sense. We're the 13th clan now. We have an equal vote."

"You have an equal vote. If I recall correctly, you ditched us."

"I left because I needed time alone, Raven. I needed some time to think and deal with what happened."

"And you had that time?"

"I found her." Clarke looked up in Lexa's direction. "She helped me get through it. I mean I'm not done going through it. I don't know if I ever will be, but it doesn't feel the same and it's at least partly because of her."

"That's weird."

Clarke looked at her with eyes squinted.

"Yeah, I guess it kind of is." Clarke laughed a little. "Raven, I know it sounds crazy, but it feels…"

"Meant to be?" Raven asked and then smiled at her. Clarke just nodded. "And what does she think about you being back in the alliance?"

"It was her idea."

"Of course it was." She replied sarcastically. "She's got it just as bad as you, I guess. Run off and be all happy and in love while the rest of us try to piece our lives back together." She said all in one breath. Clarke wasn't sure if she was serious or not until she saw Raven smile at her. "For real though, if you're happy, that's a good thing. I just want you to be careful. She chose her people over you once."

"It's different now. We're different now."

"I'll take your word for it. Now, can you get your mom to hook me up with some of those amazing pain meds? I'd like to crash for a while."

"Sure."

Clarke walked toward her mom and nodded for her to go back to Raven. She sat next to Lexa who looked over at her.

"She is angry with me."

"She's not angry. She's actually okay. I think the whole almost dying thing puts stuff in perspective."

"When we return, I will vote in favor of resettling." She stated it out of nowhere.

"What? What changed your mind?" Clarke asked slightly shocked.

"This place saved your friend. It made you happy even if it was only for two nights."

"And you?"

She smiled.

"Yes, it made me happy too. I am worried about finding my place there."

"I know. Me too."

"You don't have to be."

"Why not?" Clarke asked confused.

"Because you are a natural leader, Clarke. You will be chosen to represent your people."

"And you will represent your people."

"Not in their way. If they vote, they will not vote for me to represent anyone. I am battle tested; not peacetime tested."

"Lexa, you're in peacetime right now and I'd say you're doing a pretty good job."

Lexa looked at her and cupped her cheek.

"I don't want to lose our language or our customs."

"Then represent your people and work to keep them."

When they arrived at the camp, Raven and Wick went straight to medical. She was to stay there for another couple of nights to make sure she was okay. Abby stayed near the entrance to talk to Clarke.

"You coming in?" She asked.

"I can't ask York to wait. He's driving us back to the capital."

"I guess I can understand."

"He gave me this radio though. It has a longer range. We should be able to talk when I get back."

"About the alliance?"

"Raven is a talker, isn't she?" Clarke joked. "Yes, about the alliance. I can come back in a few days if I need too."

"Hey, you're back!" It was Bellamy.

"Yeah, we're getting ready to head back out though." She nodded in York's direction. Lexa was standing by the car with Temple.

"To the capital?"

"Yeah."

"Can I come?" He asked.

"Why?" Clarke asked right back.

"I'd like to see it. Maybe help you out there. Hear about this brave new world you just returned from along the way."

"I don't know, Bell."

"I'm coming too." Octavia emerged.

"That's probably not a good idea."

"I want to speak to Indra. I want her to talk to me."

"Octavia, she is pretty much the most stubborn person on earth."

Octavia just started walking toward the car with a bag strapped to her back. She must have been ready for this.

"Indra might be the 2nd most stubborn person on earth." Bellamy pronounced.

"Come on then. We've got a lot to talk about."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

York left them just outside of the capital and they walked back the rest of the way. Clarke relayed everything that had happened and the benefits of the new city. Bellamy seemed more than eager to go while Octavia seemed rather indifferent, which is pretty much Octavia all the time. It was dark by the time they arrived so Lexa opted to dispatch messengers to the other commanders in the morning and return to her house.

"For tonight, you two can stay here." Lexa spoke and motioned toward the room Clarke has stayed in originally. "There is another room down here where you can sleep, Octavia. I will send for Indra tomorrow so you can discuss what you wish with her."

"Not exactly the best host, is she? We don't even get a tour." Octavia stated.

"The bathroom is over there." Clarke pointed out.

"And our bedroom is here. The rest of the tour will have to wait until tomorrow." Lexa walked into the room.

" _Our_ bedroom, huh?" Bellamy mocked.

Clarke shoved him back against the wall and followed Lexa.

"Let me know if you need anything. I'll give you the tour of the house first and then the capital." She said and then closed the door behind her knowing Lexa would be getting out of her clothes to sleep.

By the time Clarke turned around, Lexa was half-naked and taking off her pants. Clarke just smiled at her.

"Our bedroom?" She asked Lexa, referring to Bellamy's comment.

"Is this not our bedroom?" She asked tossing her pants on top of her other discarded clothing.

"I just wasn't aware, I guess."

Lexa climbed into the bed and Clarke climbed in after her without taking her clothes off.

"All I have belongs to you now. You know that." Lexa confirmed while rolling onto her side to take in Clarke.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

The next morning, the messengers were dispatched and Bellamy joined Clarke and Lexa for the meeting with the other commanders while Octavia pulled Indra aside and ended up in a screaming match and was asked to take it outside.

"What say you?" The Ice Queen stated without any pleasantries being exchanged.

Lexa looked to Clarke.

"It was as they say it was." She started and then nodded for Clarke to take over.

"They are offering all clans a chance to resettle in their community, which has everything they said it did and more. There is a hospital that has advanced technology, they have schools to teach the children, they have-"  
"We need no schools. We teach them."

"You teach them battle techniques."

"That is all they need." It was the man who originally objected, but came around later.

"Then, become teachers when you get there." Clarke offered. "If you want to teach them battle strategy and weaponry, you can take a job as a teacher at the school."

"I am no teacher. I am a Commander."

"Then, don't teach." That came from Bellamy.

"Hod yu rein daun." _Mind your place._ That came from the Ice Queen.

"What?" Bellamy asked.

"Bell, protocol." Clarke reminded as he stood behind her. He understood.

"The Old Ones are offering homes and work for all." Lexa explained. "You will choose what you want."

"So your vote is to move?"

"My vote will be reserved for when we vote." Lexa clarified.

"Look, we will discuss with their commander how best to make this happen after the vote if the vote is to proceed." Clarke expressed.

"And what if we want to see this place for ourselves?"

"Go." Lexa stated with a blank expression to the Ice Queen who always seemed to argue for argument's sake. "We will not stop you. Remember though that while in this alliance, you are under my rule and if you do anything against the Old Ones without my orders, we will be at war."

The Ice Queen glared at Lexa.

"This initial vote is only for the continued discussions with the Old Ones. If we can't come to an agreement with them about how it will work, then another vote can be taken at that time." Clarke looked at the Queen. "If you want to arrange a trip for yourself, I can help you with that." She offered.

"I need no help from you, Sky Girl."

"Outside." Lexa spoke and then stood. She started walking out the door of the meeting room. The others stood as she passed in a hurried state. Clarke stood because she didn't know what to do. Should she stay or follow?

The Ice Queen followed so Clarke decided to follow as well, but to do so slightly slower and hang back. She waited in the door at the front of the command center while Lexa took the Queen off to the side of the yard and dismissed those standing around with only a glare until they were essentially alone.

"Em pleni!" _Enough_. Lexa shouted at her. "I have had enough. I will no longer tolerate your treatment of Clarke or this alliance as your method of-"  
"Of what, Commander?" She was clearly angry.

"I would never have chosen you." Lexa answered directly. "Put your petty emotions aside and work within the alliance or I will bring to a vote to excommunicate the Azgeda." _Ice Nation._

"And what if in that vote, the clans excommunicated you?" She took a step toward Lexa. Clarke just watched in silence.

"Bring it to a vote and see who they choose." She threatened. The Ice Queen stood her ground, but said nothing. "You and I were never to be. You know this. I know this."

"Because you were to be with Costia?"

"You will not speak her name in my presence."

"You chose her over me and you saw what happened. You could have had an alliance with the great Azgeda and you chose not too. You made a mistake, Commander." She said commander in a mocking tone. "We could have ruled together and now you're leading people to unfamiliar land because your Sky Girl commands you."

"Tread lightly." Lexa pushed back.

"I am a Queen, Commander. I do not tread lightly."

"You are dangerous to this alliance. I wish to unite all our people permanently with no more need for war and you are intent on causing one."

"You wish to have me gone?"

"I will have you gone." Lexa replied.  
"And if you try, you will be leading your people right into battle with mine. I will not stand-"  
"That wouldn't be smart." Clarke interjected. Both women looked up at her as she walked down the few steps and stood in front of them.

"I do not need your words, girl."

Lexa put her hand on the handle of her sword. She looked as if she could use it at any moment.

"Get the hell over it. A war shouldn't be caused because of this."

"Wars have been caused by less." Lexa shared without taking her eyes off the Ice Queen.

"That's not exactly something to aspire too, Lex." She used her nickname knowing it would upset the Ice Queen, which it did. "You try to go to war, you'll have the entire alliance to deal with. You know they'll choose Lexa to lead them over you. She saved your people from the mountain. She's helped keep this alliance together. They will follow her."

"The Ice Nation has more warriors than any other clan. We will-"

"Lose." Clarke stood next to Lexa. "You will lose. The coalition includes my people now and we have guns to your swords. The Old Ones have technology you've never dreamed of and they will fight with us. They have warriors too. Do you really think you can beat all of us and more importantly do you even want to try?" The Ice Queen appeared to be contemplating. "Your people will die and when the history of this time is told later, you will be remembered as the Queen who ended the Ice Nation."

"It is not about you." She stated and looked directly at Lexa. "It was never about you."

"Then why?"

"My father told stories about your people after we were separated." She referred to the period of time after she and Lexa were raised together and then parted due to bad clan relations. "Your people believe we are beneath you. Our warriors are not as strong or well trained. You planned to attack us unprovoked after our village was taken with sickness to steal our lands."

"We never planned anything like that."

"You were not in command then. How would you know?"

"Because we have no need for your land. Covered in ice so much of the time. Our people have never wished for your land."

"Why would my father tell me this?"

"I think I know." It was Clarke. The two of them looked at her. "You were supposed to be in an alliance and then that fell apart because of the Woods Clan not wanting to be a part of it?"

"Yes. There was no need. We were not at war."

"And your father told you these stories after that?"

"Yes."

"He wanted you to hate Lexa's people. My guess is so he'd get his revenge one day."

She thought about Clarke's comment and her expression changed.

"I loved you." She confessed to Lexa. "You treated me so poorly."

"I could not love then." Lexa replied honestly. "I was taught it was weakness."

"Yet you loved Costia and-" She stopped herself. "Clarke."

"Yes. Hodnes laik uf." _Love is strength._ She said. "I know that now."

The Ice Queen appeared to be slightly vulnerable for the first time since Clarke had met her.

"I will stand with you for the duration of the alliance." She stated and turned to walk back inside the command center.

"I think that went well." Clarke offered and nudged Lexa's side.

"We never discussed what happened between our people in the past."

"Talking sometimes works better than fighting."

"I am starting to see that now." She looked at Clarke, gave her a small smile and walked back into the meeting room. Clarke followed close behind.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

"With the votes counted, we are to pursue resettlement with the Old Ones." Lexa declared after the vote of 9 to 4 in favor of moving to the city. "We will ensure that our most important customs are upheld. Talks will begin as soon as the Old Ones agree to terms. You are not to discuss this with your clans until concerns are finalized."

The commanders stood and left the command center while all rumbling about the potential change.

"What about us, Clarke?" Bellamy asked her.

"I need to go back to camp and present the pros and cons. If Kane agrees-"

"Kane's not in charge. He likes to pretend he is, but he's not." Bellamy shared.

"Then who is?" Clarke asked.

"You are." He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been waiting for you to come back, Clarke. You're the only one people trust. Kane was willing to kill anyone and everyone on the ark and your mom is great, but she's no chancellor."

"Neither am I."

"No, but you're the best we've got. Jaha ditched us and there are others that probably want to make a play for power, but they're not because everyone's waiting for you."

"I heard Octavia say something to Indra once. I told you so." Lexa toyed and shook her head sideways. "Of course, Indra slapped her after she said it so maybe I shouldn't have."

Clarke laughed.

"I don't know if I can be that for them, Bell."

"Yes, you can." It was Octavia who'd entered with Indra standing next to her. "I'm still pissed at you. That's not going go just go away, but Clarke, you're the reason we've all survived this long." She paused and looked down before looking back up in Clarke's direction. "If you think moving to the city is the best way for us to keep surviving, I will follow you."

"You will follow me, child." Indra told her.

"You two made up?" Bellamy asked.

"Octavia has much to learn and will do penance for her mistake at the mountain."

"You okay with that?" Bellamy asked.

"Yes." Octavia answered. "Now, can we go on this tour we were promised?"

"I will deliver your tour." Indra told her. "Come with me."

Octavia looked a little disappointed, but followed Indra out the door.

"Bell? Tour?"

"Let's do it, Chancellor Griffin." He mocked and laughed as they walked out the door.

After the tour, they returned to the house where Bellamy and Octavia played in the water of the backyard while Clarke called her mother on the radio and told her they'd be arriving in a couple of days to discuss the move.

"You don't have too." Abby said. "We voted and most of the people want to go. We just need to know how and when."

"Most?" Clarke asked.

"The others will stay until Jaha returns."

"He went to the City of Light."

"And they believe he will return to take them back. It's only about 10 people. They said they'd wait for a while, but if he doesn't return and they want to resettle, they will follow."

"How did you convince them?" Clarke asked.

"I told them what we saw." She shared. "I also told them you would vote in favor of moving us there."  
"How did you know how I would vote?"

"Because I do know you, Clarke despite the fact that it doesn't always seem like I do."

"We're scheduled to speak with Carolina tonight by radio. I'll have more for you tomorrow. How's Raven?"

"She's alive." Abby told her and there was a deep sigh. "You made the right choice in taking her there. You saved her life… again."

"I'm not the doctor, mom."

"Yeah, I've got to go. Patients to check on. Radio tomorrow and give me the update." She started. "Oh and Clarke?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell Lexa I said hello." The radio went silent and Clarke smiled as she stared down at it.

Clarke watched Bellamy and Octavia swimming and splashing from the back door. Lexa approached from behind her and wrapped her arms around the other girl.

"Ai nou na teik yu bants nowe." She told her.

"What's that one mean?"

"I am never going to let you go."

Clarke placed her arms over Lexa's and held onto her.

After they'd eaten their dinner, Clarke pulled out the long-range radio and waited for Carolina to call them. It took some time to find the right signal, but finally she came in with only a little static.

"What was the decision? Will you be joining us here?"

"The vote was in favor of it, but with conditions." Clarke shared.

"Go ahead."  
"Each commander needs a role in leadership. That is non-negotiable, Carolina. They are-"

"Done." She replied quickly.

"Done?"

"Clarke, we understand you come to us with generals and commanders and queens and kings and other titles I'm not entirely aware of. We will respect those titles to the best of our ability."  
"What does that mean?" Bellamy asked.

"I will retain the presidency, but I have a group of people called my cabinet. They are my most trusted advisors. Currently, I have 3 vacancies. I will open those spots to 3 of your people and to the other leaders, I will create representative positions. Two per clan. How does that sound?"

"What power does a representative have?" Lexa asked.

"They advise on policies and listen to their people."

"These commanders aren't really known for their listening skills." Octavia said while clutching a fresh shiner beneath her eye that undoubtedly came from Indra earlier. Clarke didn't understand why this was so important to her, but Octavia wanted to be Indra's second so she'd respect it. "They're more about ordering people around." She checked with Lexa who gave no sign of disagreement.

"We give orders as well here when needed, but we believe that everyone should have a voice. If that is a problem for your people, we may need to discuss it further."

"Continue onto the next condition." Lexa segued.

"We would come in phases. Phase one is a test phase. We'll send 20 or so people from each clan." Clarke continued.

"If everything works out…"

"We'll send more. We'll need transport so this is also about that. You don't have enough planes and cars to get everyone there at once and the walk would take months with groups this size."

"We have homes ready for that number. We can make up more for each phase so that works for us as well."

"Good. Next condition." Clarke began. "Traditions and customs are very important to us." She used us instead of them to again appear united with all the clans. "We will keep all customs and traditions that do not harm others and/or do not interfere with the operation of the city. This won't be one group of people taking over the other and trying to force them to live by their rules."

"I'll need some examples."

Clarke listed off a few examples. The first was the reincarnation of leaders. Lexa will be a representative or maybe a cabinet member if she chooses. When she dies and is reincarnated, that commander will replace her in leadership. There will be no vote. She brought up sanctuary and also a few more things Lexa had mentioned were incredibly important to the clans.

"Bonding." Lexa said after Clarke finished.

"What is bonding?" Carolina asked.

"You would call it marriage." She explained. "We want to maintain our ceremony."

"And have it be legal in the city? Official, I mean?"

"Yes."

"I can grant those conditions, but I have one of my own."

Clarke wasn't expecting that, but she'd just given the woman a list of things she wanted so she had to at least be open to hearing her one condition.

"Okay."

"No executions."

"What?" Bellamy asked her.

"We do not believe in executing people here. We have forms of punishment based on reform and death makes reform impossible."

"Good luck convincing a bunch of war tribes on that one." Octavia was being unproductive.

"Within the city." Clarke offered.

"What do you mean?" Carolina asked.

"The clans will not execute a current citizen of your city; an Old One as they call them, but they will maintain the right to perform their punishments based on the laws of their people and if an execution is determined to be necessary based on those laws, it will be conducted outside of the city and in private and will be run by the clan administering the punishment."

Lexa, Bellamy and Octavia all looked at her like they we surprised.

"We will hopefully be able to convince you to change your mind on that given more time, but I can accept that for now as long as these executions are not discussed in the city beyond the confidential meetings of leadership and that I am consulted if one is to transpire and given a chance to change your mind."

"Done." Clarke agreed.

"When should we begin phase one?" Carolina asked.

Clarke explained that each clan would be selecting their first phase groups and that she'd get back to her once that was done. Each commander had some work to do to convince his or her people that this is the right decision. Even though they would follow their commander's orders, Clarke wanted the first phase group to be more than following orders. She wanted them to believe this was the right decision and give it a chance. If they did that and it didn't work out, then at least she'd know it wasn't meant to be.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Bellamy and Octavia stayed outside long after dark. Clarke guessed they'd gotten used to being outside and genuinely liked it since the ark. Clarke loved it outdoors after all those years of being cooped inside the ship, but she also loved being indoors especially when Lexa's eyes looked so beautiful in the torch light hanging outside the bedroom window as she stared down at Bellamy and Octavia sitting by the water.

"You are happy?" Lexa asked her turning to face Clarke as Clarke walked into the room from the kitchen where she'd had a snack.

She thought about it for a second before nodding.

"Yes, I am happy." Clarke removed her jacket and tossed it on the floor. She took in the girl before her who was wearing long black pants and a white shirt that had been Clarke's previously. Clarke strode over to her and grasped her hips. Lexa's expression was of shock and then happiness. Clarke pulled the shirt over her head and leaned in to capture her lips. It was as if she needed this and only this. This connection in this moment was all her heart and body desired. Lexa's arms went around Clarke's neck and pulled her closer while Clarke's hands went to Lexa's pants to yank them off her, but when she had difficulty, she didn't hesitate. She pushed her hand down Lexa's pants and found her already wet. Lexa slammed her back against the wall next to the window and Clarke started moving against her while kissing her neck. She listened to Lexa's breath begin to quicken while she pressed her fingers against her and rocked her hips. Lexa tried to take Clarke's shirt off, but Clarke wouldn't move back far enough or stop moving because Lexa's sounds were driving her on. She waited until Lexa's breathing stopped for a moment before beginning again and when Lexa's tension in her arms released, Clarke slowed to bring her down and then stopped, but kissed her and toyed with her tongue for a few minutes. "Are you happy?" She asked her when they finally broke apart.

"Sha." _Yes._ Lexa told her and kissed Clarke while walking her backwards toward the bed and promptly shoving her on it. "I knew no happiness until Klark kom Skaikru came to me from above." She took Clarke's lips with her own and Clarke wrapped her arms around Lexa's body.

They broke apart to remove the remainder of their clothing and Lexa found her place back on top of Clarke moving her fingers inside her while she was thrusting her hips into her faster and faster until Clarke screamed and put her hand over her mouth because Bellamy and Octavia could probably hear her. As Lexa slowed, Clarke could only stare into her eyes and wonder how she'd ended up here. She loved this girl. She'd been changed by her and had changed her and they'd both become better people because of it. In the beginning, she'd worried as did others that Lexa brought out the worst in her, but that wasn't it. They both just needed time to learn to trust and understand each other and now that they did, she saw them together forever.

"Your people already think we're bonded."

"Yes." Lexa stared down at her a little confused.

"What happens if we ever decide to do it for real then? They think it's already happened." Clarke gulped wondering if Lexa was catching on.

"Is that something you're considering?" She asked.

"It's what I want someday." Clarke admitted finally.

Lexa smiled.

"Someday?"

"I love you, Lexa."

"And I you." Lexa replied. She slid down Clarke's body slightly and rested her arms across Clarke's stomach and the placed her head there so she could look at the girl. "There are stories about Commanders who bond with another."

"What are these stories?" Clarke asked her.

"That they are doomed." Lexa leaned forward slightly to kiss Clarke's skin. "That is why the others reacted as they did at first. Most Commanders do not bond."

"The Ice Queen?"

"The Ice Queen bonded out of spite and because she believes herself above the potential dangers these stories mention."

"And you? What do you believe?"

"That we are stronger together than apart. That is why I told them we were bonded already."

"So, you would…" Clarke didn't know how to ask the question.

"Hod op!" Lexa jumped off of Clarke and stood naked in the room staring down at her.

"Sorry, I didn't… I don't know how or what-" Clarke sat up on the bed wondering where she'd gone wrong.

Lexa walked toward the closet and opened the door. She pulled out a piece of paper and walked back to the bed. She sat next to Clarke who just looked over at her concerned.

"On your ark, how did one ask another?" Lexa questioned.

"To get married?"

"Yes. How was it done?"

"Each person does it differently, I guess. There's no ceremony or anything. Well, besides the wedding ceremony. Just not with the proposal part." Clarke gulped realizing the gravity of this moment.

"For our people, it is different. There is a custom."

"Okay." Clarke wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"We've already performed the first part of the custom… many times." Lexa smiled at her.

"What-" Clarke started and then realized what Lexa was referring too. "Oh, that's the first part?"

"The physical bond, the connection is the first part." Lexa explained.

"Wait, so this whole time… that first time… that was the start of your custom?"

"Yes." She answered her. "If you decided against bonding, the rest of the custom would not have taken place."

"What's the rest?"

"This." She held out the piece of paper with an image on it. Clarke looked at what appeared to be a tall, thin flame with the base connected, but two flames intertwining and weaving. "It is a flame. It symbolizes forever."

"It's the infinity flame." Clarke told her. "It was a symbol on the ark for our survival."

"We must place this on our body to signify our commitment."

"A tattoo?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Where?" Clarke asked.

"Location is not important. That is why no one has asked to see them on us since I told them we'd bonded already. They can be placed anywhere."

"Okay. Is that all?"

"The connection."

"Connection?"

"Connection between our souls."

"How do we do that?"

"There's nothing to _do_ , Clarke. It is either present or not." Lexa leaned in and kissed her gently. "It has been present since the moment I saw you. Demonstrated many times over by now, but most recently by the way you knew the name of our flame and it meant something to you and your people." She kissed her again. "We are connected."

"Two out of three." Clarke pressed her forehead against Lexa's. "Where should we get our tattoos?"

Lexa pulled back and stared at Clarke with wide eyes.

"That would indicate you want to have the bonding ceremony performed for real, Clarke."

"Engagement is what we call it and I know. I want us to make this move together… really together."

"I will summon the artist right now." Lexa stood and went to flee the room.

"Lexa, you're naked!" Clarke shouted at her and she stopped. "Also, it can wait. It doesn't have to be tonight. We can talk about this more. What it means. The next steps. When those will happen. I'm not going anywhere. It's late."

"No, Clarke of the Sky People. It cannot wait."

The artist gave Clarke a bottle to drink from.

"What's this?" She asked sitting in a chair in the kitchen with Bellamy and Octavia watching while Lexa held her hand.

"It is to help with the pain." Lexa told her. "Drink."

"You didn't drink it." Clarke told her before taking a long drink from the bottle.

"I am used to the pain."

Lexa's tattoo had been finished. The infinity flame now burned between her breasts to represent the space over her heart. She also had the artist place another tattoo on the inside of her wrist. It was a black sword with a light blue cloud behind it to represent the sky. This new addition to her body was to be the excuse for having the artist called to the house so late. Lexa still wanted the people to believe they'd already and had the original flame tattoo done.

"Clarke, are you sure about this? It looked like it hurt like hell when he did to it her." Octavia shared her opinion.

"I'm sure and I want that one too." She nodded to Lexa's wrist. "Same place. I want people to be able to see it." The needle pricked her skin repeatedly and she saw small patches of blood reach the surface of her skin. The artist would wipe them away when it happened. Lexa watched and smiled throughout. When the artist was finished, the skin was raw and red, Bellamy and Octavia had gone to bed and the artist packed his things, bowed to his commander and left the house. Lexa took Clarke's wrist and kissed it lightly enlisting a smile from Clarke who didn't want to admit that the kiss hurt the sensitive skin. Lexa pulled up on Clarke's shirt, which had been a tight fitting tank top to allow the artist to work, but still remain covered up. With the kitchen now empty, she took the shirt off and laid it on the table. She kissed the tattoo and moved Clarke back against the table. Clarke wrapped her arms around her neck and sat on the table, spreading her legs so Lexa would stand between them. She lifted off Lexa's shirt and ran her fingers gently over the spot of the newly carved flame. She pressed her lips against Lexa's.

"Oh my God, you have a room." Octavia had entered without them noticing. Clarke jumped off the table and quickly grabbed the shirts.

"I thought you went to bed." Clarke explained while putting her shirt back on and helping Lexa with her own.

"I was. I got hungry. You two really can't keep your hands off one another long enough to get to your room. You really must be in love." She walked to the counter and grabbed two pieces of fruit. "By the way, I want Lincoln and I to be in the first group to go. I don't really do well at asking for permission so I thought I'd just tell you both."

"Lincoln is free to join the first group." Lexa stated.

"Like I could keep you from going." Clarke observed and joked.

"Exactly." She motioned between the two of them. "Well, you two can get back to it now if you want, but you should know my brother made a comment earlier about how hot you two are together, so you might not want to be getting it on where he can see it." She smirked and walked out of the kitchen.

Clarke laughed and was then pulled quickly out of the kitchen toward the bedroom by Lexa.

She couldn't believe what she had just done. She'd marked her body permanently with symbols that would only ever remind her of Lexa. If this didn't work out between them, she would always have those reminders. She worried yet again that this was happening too fast, but in a world where war is usually the business of the day and death is always on the mind, Lexa had been right. It couldn't wait.

The next few days flew by as Clarke and Lexa began preparing the first group from the clans for the move. Carolina and York had promised vehicles to transport and had two planes that could go back and forth until phase one was complete. Fuel was short, but they had a plant that was able to produce it. It just took time and a lot of effort so there would be at least a three-month gap between the first phase of settlers and the second strictly to get enough fuel together to get them there without sacrificing the needs of the city.

Bellamy and Octavia along with Clarke went back to Camp Jaha to help prepare the Sky People for travel. They would walk to the capital first where they'd be driven to the plane and then flown to the city. Lexa remained behind to continue her work at the capital. The walk was less hurried this time so it took the full three days to get there. Once there, Clarke met with Abby and Kane to discuss the group of 20 that would go first.

"I'm not going, Clarke." Abby stated right off the bat.

"What do you mean? Of course you're going. You told me you wanted to go."

"I do. I just can't. Not until the last group leaves. I'm the only real doctor these people have here. I need to remain behind with them until everyone has been moved."

Clarke couldn't argue with her mother on that even though she wanted too.

"I will be going." Kane directed. "As a representative of our people."

"Our representative should be chosen by the people and they've chosen Clarke." Abby stated in the small room they were meeting in away from prying ears.

"Clarke doesn't just have her interests to consider anymore though." He didn't sound angry. It was more concerned. "She's with Lexa and her people now. I'm not saying she wouldn't be a good representative for the ark people, but we should have someone that is only considering our interests involved in leadership."

"Fine." Clarke agreed and put out her hand for Kane to shake.

"Clarke, what's that on your wrist?" Abby asked.

This was not exactly when she wanted to have this conversation with her mom.

"It's a tattoo."

"I realize that. What does it mean? When did you get it?"

"Can we talk about this later, mom? Octavia, Bellamy, Lincoln, me and you. That's 5 right there. Who else is going?"

"Wick and Raven will want to go." Kane responded.

"Is Raven well enough for a trip like that? We're walking for three days." Clarke checked.

"She'll need to take it slow, but she can make it." Kane stated.

"Excuse me, but Clarke… I asked you a question." Abby looked down at her wrist, which she'd covered with her other hand. "Kane, can you give us a minute?" Abby asked. Kane nodded and stood to leave the room.

"I'll be right outside."

"I understand that you're my mother, but when we're talking about planning the resettlement of our entire population, I'd appreciate you not treating me like your daughter and respecting me in my position. En daun laik daun." _And that's that._ Clarke asserted the moment the door was closed behind Kane.

"You even talk like them now." Abby began. "I apologize for acting like your mother with Kane in the room, but he's gone now. So, you want to tell me anything about having ink permanently injected into your body or should I ask Octavia what those symbols mean?"

"They're not grounder symbols, mom." Clarke rolled up her sleeve a little so her mom could see it better. "The cloud is me and the sword is Lexa." She stated with little emotion. She needed to hold it together to talk about this. "Lexa and I are engaged."

Abby's eyes went big and she gulped audibly.

"Engaged?"

"Yes, the tattoos are part of their tradition. People in the capital already think we're bonded… married. She told them that in the beginning so they'd listen to me and respect me as a leader."  
"So, you're doing this because you have to now? To continue her lie?"

Clarke smiled at her mother.

"I'm doing this because I love her. This was my idea."

"Why now? Why so soon?"

"It's the start of the process. We won't actually have the ceremony for a while… until things are settled, but if her people ask, we already had it covertly."

"Clarke, this-"

"I know it's a lot for you to take in, but I'm not a child anymore. Lexa and I want this, mom." Clarke pulled down her shirt just slightly so her mom could see the top of her tattoo. "This is the tattoo bonded people receive when they get engaged. They call it Engagiren. We both have them now over our hearts. We both got this one to make it specific to us."

Abby leaned back in her seat and folded her arms over her chest.

"You know your grandparents didn't want me to marry your father." She started then leaned back forward and unfolded her arms. "They wanted me with another doctor named Cook."

"I don't know him."

"He was sent out the airlock for misuse of medical supplies. He was dealing on the black market."

"You made the right choice then."

"And don't think I didn't mention that to my parents all the time." She sighed. "Your father and I loved each other very much. I know sometimes you may doubt that given what happened in the end, but I still love him today and I love you more than anything."

"I know that, mom."

"Lexa shouldn't take offense. I really didn't want you with Finn either." She smiled.

"What? Why?" Clarke asked.

"Space walking while we were all living on borrowed oxygen. Not exactly the most selfless guy, was he?"

Clarke thought about how Finn had sacrificed himself for Raven then and later for Clarke, but she didn't mention that to Abby. She kind of liked having that little piece of who he really way just between her and Raven; the two people who cared about him the most.

"I guess not."

Abby reached for a chain on her neck and pulled it off. She sat it on the table in front of Clarke.

"Your father gave me this. He made it out of scrap metal when he apprenticed." She lifted the ring that was hanging on the chain and held it up. "You should give this to Lexa. Either now as an engagement ring or on your wedding day. I don't know if there will be a wedding day, I guess. I don't know how they do things, but this… this is how we do them and if you got tattoos because of the grounder custom, maybe she could wear this to adopt one of our customs."

"Mom, I can't take that. Dad gave that to you."

"Yes, and I'm giving it to you."

"You'd be giving it to Lexa. Are you really okay with that?"

"I'm giving it to you. You're giving it to Lexa. It's a symbol just like that flame on your chest, Clarke. Infinity. Forever. That's what this means. If you give this to her, you'd be saying you're willing to work through all the ups and downs that come with being with someone and loving them. I don't know what marriage is for them, but that's what marriage is to us, Clarke. Your father would have wanted you to have this." She opened Clarke's clenched fist and set the ring with the coiled chain inside before closing the fist back up gently. "You were right. You are an adult now. I may not always understand Lexa, but you seem too. If this is what you want, I will do my best to support it."

"Thank you." It was all Clarke could say in this important moment without getting choked up at the memory of her father and this ring that used to reside on her mother's finger.

"Alright, let's get Kane back in here."

Kane came back in and the remaining 20 people were chosen. They held a meeting with everyone and explained that they should pack only what they'd be able to carry. They had more questions than Clarke had answers, but they seemed to understand. They all spent that night packing and began had their goodbyes the following morning. Clarke hugged her mother goodbye for now and they all started their 3-day walk to the capital, which Clarke knew by heart now.

"I was kind of out of it the whole time we were there, but you're convinced this place is where we should be?" Raven asked their last night by the fire.

"I don't know if it's where we should be, but I think it's our best option. I think we can make a home there." Clarke replied while poking the fire with a long stick.  
"Pretend I put a segue here." Raven started. "You're engaged?"

The word had gotten around in the camp and then on the walk, but Clarke guessed Raven wanted to wait until they were alone before bringing it up and everyone else was asleep or walking around checking for predators.

"Yeah, I guess I am. It's still weird to call it that."

"You know Lexa was like our mortal enemy not that long ago, right?"

Clarke laughed at her.

"Yes and we've already talked about the mountain, Raven. You really want to rehash that?"

"No, I just… It wasn't that long ago I pictured you with Finn. You know, stealing my man and all that. It's just strange to think about you ending up with someone else." Realizing things had gotten serious and not being a very serious person most of the time, Raven had to follow up her comment. "Because your such a pain in the ass. It's hard to see anyone putting up with that for too long."

Clarke smiled at her.

"Well, we find a way to put up with you so maybe Lexa can find a way to put up with me." They shared a laugh and then called it a night. They had one more day of walking ahead of them before they'd be back at the capital.

When they arrived, Lexa was there to meet them. She resisted the urge to show affection to Clarke while in her full commander mode.

"We have places for you all to stay. Indra and Octavia will walk you."

Octavia moved to stand beside Indra without words and the two of them split the group in half. Prior to leaving the capital, Indra and Octavia had worked together to direct the preparation of temporary dwellings.

"My group. Follow me." Octavia stated.

"I don't want to go with her." One of the sergeant guards from the ark stated about Indra.

"Masta ai op!" _Follow me._ Indra ordered, not really helping the situation.

"It's okay. You can trust her." Octavia said.

"You can trust all of them. We're in this together now. We're a part of this alliance." Clarke stated. "You came here for this. Now is not the time to have second thoughts." Clarke warned. The guard acquiesced and followed behind Indra's group. Octavia's group went the same direction and then split off when she needed to take them down a different street.

"Welcome back, Clarke of the Sky People" Lexa said to Clarke as they remained behind.

"Thanks, Commander of the Coalition." They stared at one another for a moment before they both cracked a smile. Lexa was wearing another of Clarke's old tank tops that had a tear down the middle at the top. She couldn't recall putting that tear there herself and then it dawned on her. Lexa must have done it intentionally. "Nice tattoo." Clarke pulled the tear down just a little more so she could see the base of the infinity flame.

"You should not touch me there. I am to be bonded to someone who does not like others to touch me so intimately."

"Was that a joke? You never tell jokes!" Clarke exclaimed and laughed before pulling on Lexa's shirt for her to move closer to her.

"You have changed me in many ways, Clarke." Lexa hugged her and then pulled back quickly. "What is this?" She must have felt her press against her chest. Clarke had no choice but to tell her. She pulled the chain off her neck and undid it to remove the ring.

"My father made this for my mother. He gave it to her when they got married and she gave it to me to give to you."

Lexa looked shocked.

"Your mother wishes you to give this to me?"

"Yes and I want you to have it. It's like the flame for my people. A ring signifies your connection, your commitment. Normally, you'd get this on the wedding day, but you and I don't exactly do things normally, do we?"

"I am to wear this?" Lexa asked as if never seeing jewelry before.

"You don't like it?"

"Where does it go?" She asked and Clarke pointed at her ring finger. Lexa nodded and Clarke slid it on her finger. It fit pretty well and Clarke stared at it for a moment. "This is a part of your history, Clarke. Just as the flame is a part of mine." She said apparently understanding Abby's intent even from afar. "I am happy to wear it."

Lexa put her hand on Clarke's cheek and Clarke could feel the cold of the metal against her skin. She realized that she'd be feeling that same coolness every time Lexa touched her like this forever and that started now.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

The day had finally arrived. The transports began with a combination of 5 from the Sky Clan and 5 from the Woods Clan taking the first plane. The next group would be the same mix. Lexa took one flight and Clarke took another just to ensure someone in leadership was on both of the first planes.

The next several days were hectic as all the clans began to arrive and were sorted into their homes based on clan and family needs. Carolina had asked Clarke to help her put together a sort of orientation for each group as they arrived. Clarke and others would help teach them about things like electricity, hot running water, cooking on a gas stove, cleaning with real cleaning tools and more. Clarke dolled out teaching responsibilities to her people since they were the most familiar with these things and had a member of another clan assist them to it didn't appear as if the Sky People were taking over all leadership positions. It took a solid week of work, but finally everyone had an understanding of what life was like in the city. They'd been kept separate from many of the citizens in the beginning until they had some time to get acclimated. The clans also took on teaching roles as time permitted. They would exchange what they learned with information on the plant life, their weaponry along with other survival skills to the people who never really had to learn how to do it before. Blacksmiths began teaching how to mold the swords, not just wield them. The healers shared their knowledge of nature's remedies with the doctors that were more accustomed with bottled chemicals.

Carolina called on Clarke for a 1 on 1 meeting, which Clarke thought odd and asked if Lexa or the other representatives chosen by the clans should join, but Carolina assured her it was only her she needed.

"Clarke, thank you for joining me." Carolina sat behind her desk in the office of the president.

"Sure." Clarke was sitting in a chair in front of it.

"How are you finding things here so far?"  
"Good. Your people have really taken care of us. Thank you. We are looking forward to being able to get out to see more of the city though. You can imagine with over 100 people that are used to being able to roam freely, being cooped up in a couple of blocks away from the city itself is getting pretty boring. They're starting to get restless."

"I can understand that. We will begin the testing tomorrow and once we-"

"Testing?" Clarke interrupted and leaned forward. "What testing?"  
"We need to make sure your people didn't bring any diseases with them. We'll start taking them in groups to the hospital to be tested. Once we know they're safe to roam, they will be free to do so. We've got some great things planned-"

"Why didn't you mention this before we got here?" Clarke asked a little frustrated.

"It's standard procedure. I assumed you would understand. You no doubt did things like this on your ship."

"It would have been nice to prepare the people for this. Most of them have never been to a hospital before in their lives. They have healers and healers don't run tests like doctors do."

"This will be the first step toward really introducing them into their new lives then, won't it?"

"Carolina, I don't like this. This shouldn't have been done this way. If you wanted us tested, you should have said something sooner. I'm going to have to take this to the coalition and let the leaders decide if-"

"My dear, there is no if, I'm afraid. These tests are a requirement of your stay here. If you choose not to be tested, you will be asked to leave immediately and we will not be able to provide transportation back to your old locations, I'm afraid due to our fuel shortage. We've already used so much just to get your people here."

"So you'd leave us on our own to wander over 1000 miles on foot?"

"No, I'd have you remain and be tested for everyone's safety." She stood and walked in front of her desk. "Clarke, about 50 years ago, we brought a small group of people in much like yourselves and we were caught unaware by a disease called polio. It rendered people paralyzed and caused many deaths in our population because we failed to test. About 15 years later, we had a case of small pox that wiped out a third of our population. We only wish to prevent this from happening again. I assume all of your people are healthy and we will verify that soon enough."

"Wouldn't you know by now if someone wasn't?"

"A disease like polio has a 6 week incubation period before someone shows symptoms."

"What if one person or a small group of our people turn out to have something?"

"We must send them on their way." She leaned back against her desk. "We will, of course, give them proper provisions to help them on their travels back any way we can. We have horses. We can spare a few for-"

Clarke stood.

"I will make the leaders aware. They will not be happy about this though, Carolina and I don't want to make threats because we came here in peace, but these people are more accustomed to war. You should be aware of what you're dealing with."

"I understand." She replied and Clarke turned to leave. "Clarke?"

She turned back.

"Have you given any thought to your position here? What work you might do?"

"No, why?"

"I'd like you to take one of those positions in my cabinet I mentioned earlier."

"I'll consider it." Clarke replied.

"And just out of curiosity, what do you think of York?"

"York? He's fine, why?"

"He's is my son. Adopted technically, but my son." She paused. "His parents died and I've raised him ever since."

"Oh, sorry to hear about his parents. He never said anything."

"York is a good man." Carolina approached her. Clarke wasn't sure where she was going with this. "You two would make a fine couple."

"Carolina, you know I'm with Lexa."

"Oh, I understand. Young love. I've been there myself. Lost my husband a while back after 25 years together. We met when we were about your age."

Clarke took a step toward her.

"It's not just young love. Lexa and I are married." Clarke continued the lie, realizing one day there might be an actual ceremony and they'd have to confess that that they weren't actually bonded this whole time. She knew her people could be trusted, but she didn't know enough about these people to tell them the truth.

"Yes, I am aware. You're from such different places, I'm surprised."

"Well, we are and we're happy." Clarke reiterated. "And I should be getting back to her now."

"Clarke, just think about what I said, okay?"

"I'll think about the position." Clarke explained leaving out the part about Carolina wanting her to think about York.

She walked out of the building and saw Lexa standing there.

"I thought you could use some company for the walk home." She said and held out her hand for Clarke to take, which she did.

"You came to pick me up?"

"Yes, I don't want you walking alone at night. We are still on unfamiliar ground."

Clarke looked around.

"Lexa, there's no one here." Clarke pointed out the deserted city street. It war true. With the exception of the few police officers guarding the president's building, there was no one else around.

"Then, we will just walk home and discuss your meeting."

Clarke shared the news of the testing and Lexa was understandably angry and wanted to flee in the night, but Clarke reminded her they'd be on their own getting back and winter would be approaching soon. They'd probably lose people along the way and she could end up losing the trust of her people. They'd spent very little time together since they arrived due to getting everyone else taken care of so Clarke decided to enjoy this walk together.

"She tried to get me to consider dating her son." Clarke confessed wanting to be entirely truthful with Lexa, but hoping she'd be able to help guide her reaction too.

"What?" Lexa stopped walking.

"York is her son. Adopted I guess, but she raised him. She thought he and I-"

"She knows of our relationship. She believes we are bonded already."

"Yes, she didn't think we were that serious, but I reminded her that we were married, at least as far as she's concerned. I told her I wasn't interested and she dropped it."

"I will speak with her."

"Lexa, it's fine. I told her. She got it. We moved on." Clarke started walking again.

Lexa followed and then caught up.

"Is it wrong for me to worry about this?" Lexa asked.

"No, but it's also jealousy and it kind of works for you, if I'm being honest." Clarke pulled her in. Lexa looked confused, as if she'd never heard the word jealousy before. "I love _you_ , Lex. Only you."

Lexa smiled at the shortening of her name.

"I love you, Sky Girl."

Clarke kissed her and ran her hand up and down Lexa's back under her shirt.

"I wish to go home now, Clarke."

"Oh, okay." Clarke pulled back.

"We've not been together since we arrived and I think it's time to change that." Lexa smirked at her and took her hand to continue walking.

"Oh, that I can do." Clarke's body felt the anticipation of the excitement that came with being with Lexa.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

The next morning after a long meeting with the clan leaders and more arguments than Clarke could keep up with, all of the commanders agreed to the tests strictly because they realized getting home would be too difficult on their own with winter on its way. Clarke knew she'd have to deal with the consequences of not getting this information out of Carolina prior to their arrival.

Clarke and Lexa went first to show their support. They were in the same part of the hospital as they were with Raven. Dr. Harker and two nurses were taking blood samples and doing minor exams there. They'd get the results later that night and find out if they could stay. On their way out of the exam room, Carolina and York greeted them.

"I wanted to thank you both for being such good sports about this whole thing. I'm sure everyone will end up receiving passing scores if you will and we'll be able to move past this." Carolina shared her thoughts.

"Sure." Clarke replied with more frustration in her tone.

"Clarke, I was heading over to pick up the next group. You wanna come?" York asked.

Clarke looked at Lexa who reached for a sword that wasn't there.

"Chil au." _Calm down._ She reached for that hand and took it. "No thanks, I'm going to stay here with Lexa and watch over everyone."

He nodded nonchalantly and walked off. Lexa glared at him as he left. It reminded Clarke of the expression she had on her face the day Clarke begged her to trust her about Bellamy being inside the mountain; the day Lexa believed she cared more about Bellamy than the others. It was the same day Clarke discovered Lexa cared about her.

"Have you given any thought to what I asked?" Carolina questioned. "The position?"

"No, I've been focused on getting through today."

"Well, I will need an answer Clarke if we are to proceed here."

"We should probably wait for my test results. Why get started if I'm sick and forced to leave?"

Carolina seemed to understand not to press by Clarke's tone.

"I wanted to ask you and I'm glad you're both here…how would you feel about having a big wedding?"

"What?" Clarke asked.

"Well, when you reminded me you two were married, I just thought it could be a great way to help unite everyone. We'd have a big, community wedding for the two of you. I'm told the ceremony you had before was small and private. We could do it all again here and celebrate and bring people together."

"Teik ai frag em op en dison laik odon." _Let me kill her and get this over with._ Lexa started, still wishing she could reach for a sword.

"No."

"Are you talking to me or her? Sorry, I hope to learn your language in time, but-"

"I was talking to both of you actually. We don't want or need a big re-do wedding. We've got bigger things to worry about than-"

"But that's the point, isn't it? There's so much going on. People are overwhelmed. Why not give them something like a wedding between two people who love each other?"

"Because we're not interested, Carolina."

"Our bonding day belongs to us." Lexa followed.

"I'm only trying to help. I'm sorry if I come on too strong some times. This is the first time we've brought in a new group since I took office so it's as much of a change for me than it is for you."

"And we appreciate everything, but please leave the wedding thing alone, okay?"

"Of course. I guess I just got excited." She paused. "Well, I should be getting back to the office."

Carolina walked off. Lexa and Clarke remained behind to help the others get their tests and comfort them if needed. By the time everyone was finished, the first results were coming in. Clarke and Lexa's were included.

"You're both fine." Dr. Harker shared. "Tested negative for everything."

"That's great." Clarke said. "Any positives so far?"

"No, but just a few have come in. I should have them all in by morning. I'll send someone over with all the results then. We can talk after if need be."

"Thanks, doctor."

"I can't believe she just offered to have your wedding for you." Raven said as the group gathered around a large table outside the house Clarke and Lexa shared.

"It's weird, if you ask me." Octavia joined in. "I mean if someone I didn't know offered to host my wedding, it would just be weird."

"Have you thought about it?" Raven asked Octavia.

"What? A wedding?" Octavia looked at Lincoln who sat beside her. Lincoln appeared not to be phased by the mention of the word wedding.

"You have been together for a while now. The first grounder/sky girl couple actually." Raven continued. "It should probably be you two."

"You alright there, Lincoln?" Wick asked him.

"Octavia and I will be bonded when we are ready to be bonded." He replied.

Octavia looked at him with surprise.

"Octavia and Lincoln will be bonded when I give them permission to be bonded. As my second, Octavia must follow all of my orders." Indra shared.

Octavia just nodded.

"What about Lexa?" Bellamy asked. "What if she says they can? Does that override you?"

"Guys, this is not something we need to talk about right now. Lincoln and I-"

"I will allow it." Lexa shared.

Clarke looked over at her.

"You will?"

"We are living through a period of many changes. The permission the 2nd must obtain from their general is not one of our important traditions. It was created to prevent warriors from becoming bonded too rapidly in the time of war. Once bonded, a warrior is given the choice of remaining warrior or turning to a life in the village. The decision made may never be changed. We needed warriors. The general could control who bonded and how many." She looked at Indra. "Indra, I would like to abolish this rule. What say you?"

"I will obey your orders as always, Heda."

"Ron ai ridiyo op." _Speak true._ "In this new era, my advisors must take a more active role and you are my most trusted general, Indra."

Indra almost cracked a smile.

"This is a minor custom that can be altered."

"Then it is done. If Lincoln and Octavia wish to be bonded, they are free to do so at any time."

"We don't. We're good." Octavia stated.

"Speak for yourself." Lincoln said to the woman to his right. "It has always been that we should be bonded, Octavia of the Sky People." Indra cleared her throat. He tried again. "Of the Tree People."

"No, that's wrong too." It was Clarke who spoke up. "We're all the same now, right? That's the point of all this."

"You wish to have a new clan, Clarke?" Lexa asked her.

"I just think we need a new way to identify ourselves. We're all working together now. We've moved together. We're mixing our customs and traditions." She paused "We _are_ a new people. We should have a new name."

"And what should that new name be?" Kane asked.

"I don't know. I'm just saying we should have one. Maybe we just need to name this place. We are all people, right? Why not a name for the place we call home?"

"Clarke, can I talk to you?" It was York. He'd made his way to the backyard.

"Um… what about?" Clarke asked wanting to make sure it was something important and not about Carolina wanting her to date him.

"It's important. Please."

"It's okay." Clarke said to Lexa whose fire was starting to burn in those eyes. "Whatever you want to say, you can say in front of the whole group."

"That's not a good idea. Carolina would have come, but she had an appointment she couldn't miss. Please, Clarke."

"Hey Yorkie, the girl told you to speak. So speak." Raven ordered.

He sighed and took a step forward.

"There has been a positive test result. Carolina asked me to share it with you right away even though not all the results are in yet."

"Okay. Who is it?" Clarke sounded worried.

There was a moment of hesitation before York pointed.

"Him." York's finger was directed at Lincoln.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

"What!?" Octavia stood. "What are you talking about? He's fine."

"There were anomalies in his blood Dr. Harker couldn't account for so he ran more tests and discovered heightened numbers of some kind in an area… I don't know the specifics, but he said it relates to aggression."

"Reaper." Lexa said under her breath.

"So? What about it? Aggression isn't a sickness."

"It is here. We don't tolerate violence of any kind."

"He's not violent!" Octavia walked toward York. "He's sitting down to dinner and he's not leaving."

"Octavia!" Lincoln stood.

"What? You're not leaving because you may or may not be more aggressive than other people. By that definition, everyone here would have to leave."

"That's true." Clarke stood. "What makes Lincoln different? Most of these people are warriors who act first, think later."

"Can we speak privately?" York asked her again.

"Just spit it out!" Octavia yelled. Lincoln pulled her arms back and held onto her before she could do something to York.

"Lincoln cannot procreate. His tests results show the likelihood of him having children is-"  
"What?" Octavia asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Clarke asked.

"Carolina told you of our population issues. She explained the diseases, the reasons for the tests in the first place. We must begin to rapidly reproduce or we risk dying out here."

"What does that have to do with us?" Wick asked.

Clarke thought about it.

"That's why they wanted us here in the first place." She started piecing it together. "How many are left?" She asked point blank.

"Not many."

"What are you guys talking about? There's a ton of people here. You saw them when we were here the first time, right?" Raven questioned.

"York?" Clarke pushed.

"We have about 150 left."

"What? That's it?" Kane asked, standing.

"Of those, we only have about 10 kids. Many of the adults can't reproduce. Something happened when the small pox came. People lost the ability to have children and it affected their children. Some of the kids old enough to be tested showed the same results."

"So you only want people here that can have kids?"

"It's not that. It's just we only have a certain amount of resources. We have to allocate them and the more people we have, the fewer resources per person and-"

"The rest would just be wasted?" Kane put together. "How dare you present this place as a paradise, lure us here and then-"

"It's my fault." Clarke spoke up. "I should have learned more about it. I should have stayed longer, discovered more."

"This is not your fault, Clarke. The fault lies with them." Lexa said.

Clarke walked over to York.

"The dead cabinet members, your parents, Carolina's husband…"

"Victims of the pox or died of symptoms from it that remained long dormant."

"The day we took the tour. You insisted on our path through the city."

"We staged it." The voice was from Carolina. She'd made it to the backyard.

"I thought you had an appointment." Clarke said.

"I did. It ended early. I thought I'd make my way over here to make sure York stuck to the plan, but given what I'm hearing, it's clear that is not the case."  
"Mom, I'm sorry. I just didn't-"

"Want to lie to them? You were never cut out for this job, York. Leave us." She ordered and York walked off. "Clarke, I'd like to speak to you alone, please."

"Kiss my ass, lady." Raven stood. "You need to talk to everyone or risk me-"

"Carolina, you staged the tour, the entire trip. The school, the hospital… that's why there's really only one hallway that's active there. That's why you wouldn't let us go out on the city when we got here… why I rarely see anyone when I do."

"That's correct, Clarke. You shouldn't have found out like this."

"What was your plan?" Kane asked her.

"My plan was to integrate you into our society and pair those of you who can reproduce up with one of our citizens."

"That's why you wanted York with Clarke." Lexa stated.

"York was my first choice, but not my only. I underestimated her dedication to you and vice versa." Carolina explained. "It's no matter. You two can be together. As Commander and leader of your peoples, I can't just send you two packing."

"You're not sending any of us packing." Octavia told her and took Lincoln's hand.

"We need only those who can help us re-stabilize our population and those who can help us dictate the others through transitions. All others would be wasted as your man said earlier, Clarke." She referred to Kane.

Clarke took another step toward Carolina. She was only inches from her face.

"You should be very careful now, Carolina. We have the numbers now. You have 150 and we have 260 people here already. Many of them are trained warriors."

"Trained with swords, which we've already confiscated."

"You've taken our swords?"

"Yes, I sent men out last night to take every last weapon including the guns your people brought that you thought you'd hidden from me, Clarke. To think, I thought you came here in peace." She giggled at herself.

"We did."

"And you were invited here in peace." Her tone shifted to being laced with anger. "And then you started with your conditions and your distrust and I wondered if you would really ever belong here and I was right."

"You're crazy, lady." Raven told her.

"You stole our weapons!" Indra returned. "You will return them to us immediately or I will end you!"

"Hod op!" Lexa ordered. She took a few steps toward Carolina. Clarke took a step sideways to make room. "Clarke, I know you believe talking can solve problems, but I think-"

"Do it!" Clarke told her and watched how quickly Lexa's fist responded to it. There was immediate contact with Carolina's jaw. Indra moved quickly too. She moved to pick up Carolina as she tumbled backwards to hold her in place for her Commander to take another shot.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but the citizens will revolt against you and they have your weapons and you are in our city. You are defenseless. You can still join us. It doesn't have to be this way."

"Just people like Lincoln have to go?" Octavia questioned.

"I can speak with the representatives. Perhaps we can make an exception for him given his relationship to your leaders."

"But others like him?"

"We cannot support them. Just putting on this charade for you has cost us precious resources. We need your people to help us build our fuel and water supply back up. We need people to work in the plants and help with the crops and yes, help us by producing more and more people to continue this civilization. If not, we will die off. Humanity will be no more."

"Our people were doing just fine before you got in the way." Indra said in her ear.

"You call that fine? You were living like cave men? War paint spread across your faces, living by torchlight and fighting with each other all the time? What is that? That is not living."

"I've heard enough." Lexa said. "Kill her." She ordered Indra.

"Come Octavia. You will inflict the death blow." Indra ordered and Octavia started walking. "I think it will surprise you what we can do without our weapons." Indra told Carolina as she held her tighter.

"No!" Clarke spoke up. "Lexa, we can't kill her."

"We cannot let her live, Clarke. What she has done warrants her death."

"Maybe, but not this way."

"What other way is there?"

"We can't just keep doing things the way we used to do them." Clarke looked around at the group. She stared for a moment at Kane. "We can't just kill people like we did on the ark or because they commit a crime. We need to arrest, hold trials, have people serve out punishments."

"You belong here, Clarke. Your ideas are how we live." Carolina spoke. "You can rule by my side. Perhaps Vice President is more the right position for you. You could be our next President."

"The only side I will rule beside is Lexa's." Clarke retorted. "Indra, take her inside. Tie her up."

"I'm going to kill York for defying me!" She kind of shouted before being smacked in the back of the head by Indra.

Indra didn't even look at Lexa before starting to move Carolina toward the house with Octavia in tow. Clarke wanted to take a moment to think about how Indra took her order without consulting Lexa and how far they'd come, but there was no time.

After Carolina was safely inside, Clarke sat back down at the table with the remainder of the group.

"We have to get our weapons back." Bellamy informed.

"I'm going to go with Octavia." Lincoln walked toward the house presumably to ensure Indra didn't order Octavia to kill Carolina against orders.

"We can't leave." Kane explained. "It's already getting colder and it's doubtful she'll give us the supplies we need to get us close to home. We'd have to take them and they have our weapons."

"Plus, you'd be taking from people who actually need the stuff." Wick said.

"What?" Raven asked him.

"If what she's saying is true, their supplies are already short. If we took what we needed, we'd be leaving these people without."

"So what? They lured us here to try to get us to mate with them. That's not just gross, that really pisses me off."

"Raven, we can't just take their stuff." Wick argued.

"Then, what the hell are we supposed to do? I'm not staying here, Wick."

"We must fight." Lexa sat her hands on the table and clasped them together.

"Lexa, we-"

"Clarke, we have no choice. We must fight for our weapons first." She looked at Clarke next to her. "We will not kill if we can avoid it." She told her.

"What's the plan?" Bellamy asked Lexa.

Lexa said nothing in response. She only stared at Clarke.

"Maybe I can talk to Carolina. We can come to an understanding." Kane offered.

Clarke stared back at Lexa.

"We tried that before." She referenced. "With the mountain men. I tried to get them to be reasonable. They weren't. They continued to kill our people." She paused and looked around. "Lexa's right. First, we need to get our weapons back somehow."

"And after that?" Kane asked.

"We take the cars and the planes and as much fuel as we can and we get the hell out of here. We go back to how it was." Bellamy offered.

"We can't go back." Clarke clarified. "We can't just go back to how it was before, Bell. We all barely survived how it was before. I know I barely made it through. Raven almost died, my mom, you. We lost people. Jasper won't even talk to me. Monty's just been going through the motions since what happened. Neither of them even wanted to come here with us."

"Well, turns out that was a smart decision on their part." Raven said.

"If we go back, the alliance will break." Lexa shared. "It will not survive this. We will most likely be at war. Clan versus clan. The Sky People will be attacked. The other leaders will come after Clarke and I because we led this decision. They will torture her in front of me before they kill her and then they will kill me." Clarke looked over at Lexa and took her hand. "It will be of no matter because after watching them do that to you, I will cease to exist by the time death comes." Lexa stood and walked back toward the house.

"Can you guys just give us a minute?" Clarke asked and went to follow her, but noticed York in the shadows of a large tree next to the house. She turned to see that the rest were engrossed in conversation and motioned for him to join her where others could not see. "York, why are you still here? Carolina will have you killed for what you told us. You should get out of here."

"She wasn't always like this." He started. "When my parents died, she took me in. She was normal. It wasn't until we discovered the numbers; the dwindling population and we started to struggle that she started to change." He paused. "I'm sorry. I should have told you there were strings attached. I just hoped the strings weren't that bad."  
"You need us to make babies!"

"Yeah, but we weren't going to force you. The idea was that it would happen naturally. Your people and our people would somehow start coupling off. That's why she wanted you to be with me. I'm still able to have kids. She hoped you and I would be able to have the first baby together. It would help to create a bond between your people and mine."

"Well, that's not happening."

"I know that. I figured she'd get past it and I'd find someone I actually want to have children with someday. No offense."

"None taken." Clarke looked over her shoulder at the sound of a door opening and saw Lexa standing there.

"You!" She walked quickly toward York.

"No, Lexa! He's on our side." Clarke explained and stepped between the two of them. "You are, right?" She turned to check in on York who nodded.

"He's with her."

"No, I'm not. I mean, I was, but I didn't know she was going to-"

"You would betray your own mother?" Lexa verified.

"She's not really my mother. My mother died a long time ago and when Carolina told me her plan this afternoon, I knew I couldn't be a part of it."

"What plan?" Clarke asked and then turned so that she and Lexa were both facing him.

"She didn't tell me about it until after you were already here."

"Just tell us, York."

"She was going to try it the natural way at first, but after some time if it wasn't happening on its own, she was going to make you. She was going to tell you more tests were needed or something like that and the men would… donate." He looked at the ground. "And the women would have the _donations_ implanted." He paused and then looked back up. "Dr. Harker is having a wing of the hospital prepared just in case. He's fixing beds with straps and bindings to hold the women down who won't cooperate and he's having a few of the researchers we have left manufacturing excessive sedatives too."

"Oh my God."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"What will you do now that you do?" Lexa asked him.

"I'll help you however I can."

"Where are they storing our weapons?" Clarke asked. "And how did they get them in the first place?"

"The tunnels."

"Tunnels?" Lexa asked.

"There are tunnels connecting every building in the city including the homes. They were built after the first round of bombs to hide people from the initial radiation. They've been updated several times since. Carolina sent members of the police force to the tunnels and through the hidden doors in your homes to find whatever you brought with you. They exited the same way."

"Does anyone guard them?"

"No. We don't have the man-power for something like that. It took all night just to get the weapons." He looked at Clarke. "They are at the hospital. 3rd floor. We don't use it. They're locked, but not guarded. I have the key, but if we're going to get them, we should do it now."

"Why?"

"Because Carolina will be missed soon. She has two personal guards. They're right out front and they are loyal to her." He motioned to the front of the house. "They'll come looking for her soon. They'll call it in first and then everyone will know."

"Then we move now." Lexa said. "Lincoln and I will take out the guards while Octavia and Indra move Carolina. We'll take her with us."

"Don't kill them, Lexa."

"Only if I must." Lexa nodded and walked off to go get Lincoln.

"Let's go get the others." Clarke pulled York toward the table and the rest of the group. They hashed out a quick plan that would involve them taking the tunnels to the hospital while York drove and met them there. To get to the third floor, he'd have to walk into the hospital and unlock the exit point from the tunnels so they could get in and then he'd keep watch while they grabbed the weapons and loaded them into the tunnels. They'd carry them back in batches, as there were weapons for 200 plus people.

Clarke wondered about Lexa and Lincoln. They should have been done with the guards. She walked around the front and saw the president's car, but no guards. Her concern started to grow. She walked back in through the front door and she saw Indra tying ropes around Carolina's legs. She already had a gag in her mouth.

"Octavia went out back. I will join as soon as this job is done."

"Have you seen Lexa or Lincoln?" Clarke asked her while looking around.  
"Lincoln is out back with Octavia. The Commander went to her room a moment ago."

Thank God, Clarke thought.

"Lexa?" She asked when she walked into their room.

Lexa was standing at a mirror and when she turned around, Clarke saw she'd painted her face in her traditional war paint.

"I was hoping we could leave that behind." Clarke shared.

Lexa walked over to her and put her arms around her waist.

"I'm afraid we're at war again."

"Can this please be the last one?" Clarke pleaded. Lexa touched the side of her face and Clarke felt the metal of the ring she'd placed there so recently.

"That is my hope as well." Lexa leaned in and gave Clarke a quick kiss. "But we must protect our people now."

"I know."

"We will get our weapons and overtake the population."

"Without killing?" Clarke insisted.

"Clarke, people will die. You know that."

"I can't have anyone else die at my hand, Lexa." She took a deep breath. "It hurts too much. The missile, the mountain, outside the shuttle when we were being attacked and your people burned… that was all because of me."

"That was because of circumstance. That was war, Clarke. We will do everything to make this one our last." Lexa reassured. "But what will we do with the citizens once we take the city?"

"I can't even think about that now?"

"Start thinking, Clarke." Lexa told her and pulled back. "This will not take long."

They'd made it through the tunnels with the help of York's map. When they arrived at the exit, they stood and waited, prepared for anything that might happen next. Clarke took in Lexa who stood at the front of the group holding a knife she'd taken from the kitchen. Luckily, they'd dispatched the guards back at the house with some tight headlocks and then stored them inside the president's car after tying them up with cord they'd pull from the house.

Lexa looked right at home being back in battle. Clarke had to admit to herself that it was one of the things she loved so much about the woman in front of her. That fire would never go out. That strength would always be there and Clarke could count on that forever.

"How long are we going to stand here?" Octavia asked.

They'd left Raven back at the house with Wick to watch over the president and keep an eye on the guards in the car. Octavia, Bellamy, Lincoln, Kane, Indra, Lexa and Clarke were in the tunnels waiting for York. They hadn't told anyone else about the plan in order to prevent it from spreading throughout the city and concerning the clans. The door in front of them opened. Lexa readied her knife in case York failed or it was a trap.

"Let's go. Hurry." York told them in a hushed tone. Lexa climbed through first with Clarke close behind. "Here's the key. Weapons are in that room. You'll have to hurry. Dr. Harker was ordered to check this area out before he goes home each night. That could be any minute."

"We got it. Go keep watch." Clarke told him.

They shuttled swords, knives, guns and ammo through the small tunnel door and then York closed the door behind them. He'd meet them with the car a block away from the hospital, open the tunnel exit there and help load as many weapons as possible into the car and drive them back with Clarke and Indra.

Lexa would lead Lincoln, Bellamy and Octavia in carrying the rest of the weapons as far as they could and Clarke, Indra and York would join them after dropping off the other weapons to carry them back to the house.

It took about an hour, but the job was finally done. Carolina and the guards were then sat up in the living room of the house next door where Raven and Wick were staying. The two of them were provided guns and tasked with keeping watch for the first shift. Lincoln and Octavia slept on the floor of that house and would take the second shift.

"Morning will come soon and her people will be looking for her." Indra educated. "We should kill her and move on."

"We may need her." Clarke explained.

"Tomorrow morning, we will hold a summit of the clan leaders and representatives. We will make them aware of our purpose here and we will outline our plan."

"What _is_ our plan, Lexa?" Bellamy asked.

"We will take the hospital first through the tunnels. York left the exit point unlocked last night."

"We'll lock everyone inside a room and leave you to guard, Bell." Clarke explained. Bellamy nodded. "We will do everything we can not to injure or kill anyone, but… do what you have to do."

"We will have the other clans lead raids in each city sector." Lexa pointed at a city map York had provided. "Here, here and here." She looked at Clarke. "We will lock up all citizens without harm until we can determine our next step." She outlined.

"For now, we wait for morning." Clarke told the group.

"Why not attack now? Catch them off-guard?" Kane asked.

"Because we are all exhausted. We need the support of the other clans and getting them together at this hour would cause suspicion. Tomorrow morning would be better." Clarke answered.

"Go to your homes. We will meet again at dawn." Lexa stated and rolled up York's map.

"Where should I go?" York asked.

"You can stay with me." Bellamy offered. "I'm on my own there anyway." Bellamy had been given his own house, as was Kane.

"I'll move the president's car and then mine and meet you there. Thank you." York replied.

"Don't thank me. I snore." Bellamy told him and they both walked out.

"Clarke, can I speak with you?" Kane asked when it was just Lexa, Indra and Clarke left in the kitchen.

Lexa looked at her.

"Indra and I will plan the meeting with the coalition." She and Indra walked into the living room.

"Clarke, we have to be extremely careful here."

"I know, Kane."

"What we're talking about is locking up innocent people until we can figure out what to do with them."

"What should we do? Kill them?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying, but maybe we should wait until-"

"Until what? Until they notice their president is gone? That we know about her psychotic plan to impregnate our women?"

"Until we can really think about our next step. Until we can plan what to do with these people. Until we can contact Camp Jaha and let them know what's going on."

"I'm not telling them anything until we get this place under our control."

"You don't just get to make a decision like that, Clarke. You're not-"

"In charge?" She walked toward him. "Yes, I am. I am in charge, Kane. It may not be what I want, but it's what I need." She took a deep breath. "I was born for this." She told him. "Now, get in line or get off the team and wait for us to take the city because we _will_ take the city and then we will figure out what to do next."

She left the kitchen and met up with Lexa just as Indra was heading over to the house next door to check on the others before taking her position guarding the perimeter of both houses before Bellamy would relieve her later.

Clarke and Lexa entered their room and Lexa began removing her grounder, war garb while Clarke sat on the edge of the bed.

"Osir gonplei nou ste odon nowe, Klark." _Our fight is never over, Clarke._ Lexa removed her long, black jacket revealing Clarke's shirt she continued to borrow and continued to reveal her infinity flame tattoo.

"I know." Clarke responded with little emotion. "This was supposed to be our refuge."

"It can still be that."

"I don't see how."

Lexa moved to straddle Clarke on the bed and Clarke's arms went around her waist to hold her in place.

"You always see how." Lexa began. "That is your gift, Clarke." She held Clarke's face in her hands to force her to look up at her. "When I am unable to see things, you see them. You saw Bellamy's role in the mountain when I was ready to storm in. You saw Octavia's loyalty when I would have killed her."

"I saw this place as a new start." Clarke chastised herself.

"And you were right too. Clarke, you know I would tell you if you were wrong, but you weren't and you weren't the only one who made this decision. We all share blame in this, but we can share victory too." She pressed her forehead to Clarke's knowing she was getting black paint on Clarke's face. "We can take this place. We can make it ours."

"How?" Clarke asked desperately.

"That's your job." Lexa pulled her face back. She wiped the small amount of black off of Clarke's forehead. "I will direct the battle. You will direct our new nation."

Clarke's eyes grew big, as she pulled back further.

"That's a pretty big responsibility."

"One only you can handle." Lexa leaned in and kissed her.

"We can't. We need to get some sleep. We have-" Clarke objected until Lexa captured her lips again and laid her back.

"We may only have tonight. Tomorrow, kom wor!" _To war_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

Clarke could only make out part of what they were saying. There were about 20 clan leaders and representatives in the living room of their small house. Lexa had opened the meeting by telling them about Carolina's plan. Then, all hell broke loose. Clarke heard her name and Sky Girl several times over for the past 20 minutes. She understood their angry tone without understanding all of their words. It was just after dawn and Clarke was still exhausted. She'd gotten no sleep and only part of that was because Lexa wanted to make sure they took advantage of their last night before going back into yet another battle. It was nice though to take her mind off of things and she suspected that was Lexa's main motivation behind it. The other part of her sleepless night was due to her not being able to turn off her brain. Even having Lexa draped over her was not enough to comfort her and get her to sleep. She took solace in the fact that Lexa was asleep though. She was apparently confident enough in their plan to sleep for a few hours.

"We should kill them all if we wish to take the town." A representative from one of the clans told the group. Clarke didn't recognize him so he was not a clan leader. Many of the leaders remained behind with their people including the dreaded Ice Queen. Clarke suspected she didn't want to be here with Lexa until she could find a way to really move on after all these years.

"We will not kill anyone unless we have too." Clarke finally said something.

"And if they attack back?"

"They won't." Clarke stated. "We don't expect any kind of defense. These people aren't soldiers. They're just citizens. Some of them are children."

"Report back to me when it is done." Lexa ordered.

"What happens after that? Do we return home?"

"We make this our home." Clarke stood in the small, packed space and walked to stand next to Lexa. "We'll find out what the people here knew of the president's plan. We'll lock up those we deem threats _after_ we do our due diligence. Everyone else will receive a pardon."

"Pardon? No!" Came from the crowd.

"Silence!" Lexa ordered. "Innocents will be pardoned. Those guilty of this conspiracy will be punished in accordance with _our_ laws."

"We can still make this our home. We can still bring everyone else here. There is space, there is work to be done and there is a common goal. The alliance can survive if we do what we need to do today." Clarke asserted.

It took some more convincing, but finally the clans responded positively and began to take their posts. Lexa was right. The city was easy enough to take. The police force was really only 15 strong and they were all locked into the jail without issue. No injuries were reported. The school was taken and message was received that all the children were fine. They were scared though at the people with knives and guns so Clarke gave the order to locate their parents and have them delivered to them and be locked up.

The representatives were in a meeting at the time so they were easy to take. No one even realized the weapons were missing. When Clarke and Lexa took the hospital with just a few people with them, Dr. Harker admitted to not even checking the weapons the previous night as he was ordered too.

"Yes, she told me about the plan, but you don't understand." He started.

"We don't understand what?" Clarke asked him. They had him tied to a chair in his hospital office. Everyone else was already locked inside a room.

"We need more people here and we need them fast." He tried to explain. "I've checked the results over and over and-"  
"What results?" Lexa asked him.

"Our tests. Everyone has been tested. Most of us are infertile. 4 of the 10 children we have come from outside the city; another acquisition like we were trying to do with your people. The tests not only show infertility, but symptoms of diseases we thought long dead. Part of the problem undoubtedly stems from the radiation, but it doesn't matter. We'll be gone in a generation."

"Why is that our problem?" Clarke asked him.

"It's humanity's problem." He stated. "This community is the last of its kind. If it goes, all remnants of the old ways go with it. Is that really what you want?"

"No, but we don't want to be forced into something we didn't agree too either." Clarke pointed out. "You should have told us before. We could have helped you. We could have talked through this."

"Your group is the largest we've ever attempted to bring here. It was a mistake, but it was a risk we had to take, but some of your people have an anomaly in their blood. I can't identify it, but I believe it is linked to their inability to reproduce. When I told Carolina that, she got worried."

"Yeah, we caught that." Clarke said.

"She thought that maybe most of you would have the same result and this whole thing would have been a waste. We'd be in the same situation with more people to care for."

"You don't have to worry about that now." Lexa pointed at him with her sword.

"A small percentage of our population was injected with a substance that turned them into something less than human. We were able to snap them out of it, but that's most likely what your tests are showing."

"Then, there's a treatment?" He sounded hopeful.

"Not for what you're talking about." Clarke informed. "We didn't even know about the reproduction thing."

"Then, I can help." More hope. "I can run more tests, come up with a treatment. Maybe there's a way they can have children. I can be of value to you. I'm the only doctor we have, but we have researchers on my team. They can assist me. They can be saved."

"We will decide who is to be saved and who is to die at our hands." Lexa told him and Clarke couldn't help but wonder if there was some dramatic flare in her voice. The truth was that her people were okay. No one had been tortured or killed. They wouldn't kill anyone including the president. They would, however need to determine what to do with those who orchestrated this whole conspiracy, but that would have to wait for another day. "Take him away." Lexa had opened the door and two grounders came in and removed the doctor from his office. "Shall we go talk with the president?" Lexa asked Clarke.

"No, lets make her wait. I want to talk to the representatives and find out what they knew about this."

Lexa nodded and they walked out of the hospital and toward the main city building where the representatives, 14 in all had been captured and stored. Clarke and Lexa entered the meeting room and had 4 guards remain with them.

"We've taken the city." Clarke informed. "We have no intention of causing any of you physical harm unless we have too."

"Where is the president?" A man dressed in a suit and tie like some Clarke had seen in movies from the past.

"She's fine. We've got her, but she's fine." Clarke looked around the room. Many of them looked terrified while a few of them looked almost confident. "I want to know what you knew about the president's plan to force us to repopulate this city."

"We won't tell you anything." That same man stated.

"Take him outside." Lexa ordered and a guard pulled the man from his seat and jerked him toward the door. The man yelled and he could still be heard from outside until there was no more sound. "Now, you will answer Clarke's questions or I will continue to remove you one by one and let my warriors take the information from you one piece at a time."

"What did you know?" Clarke repeated.

"We needed you here. You were supposed to meet some of our people and help us. You were supposed to take some of the jobs we don't have the numbers for anymore to help repair parts of the city and re-staff the plants, help farm. That's all I know."

"Thank you." Clarke stated. The woman's tone was believable.

"I don't understand what the problem is. Why are we here? We didn't do anything wrong. We were following Carolina's orders." Another man shared.

"You're her advisors?" Clarke questioned.

"That's what she wants people to think, but Carolina runs this city. What she says goes. Look as us. There are 14 of us when there are only about 150 people. We're just hold overs from the last president, from when we had more people here. She's kept us because it looked good to keep us to outsiders. We merely inform the people of her decisions and pretend they're our own."

"And her cabinet? The dead ones?" Clarke asked.

"She poisoned them." The first woman who responded professed. "No one knows. They think it was disease, but it was poison. I watched her do it." She took a deep breath. "I was too scared to do anything about it. They disagreed with her on bringing you here, but I think she would have done it anyway. She used it as leverage to get you here. Positions available in leadership is exactly what you wanted and with them dead, there were suddenly positions available."

"She killed them?" Lexa checked.

"Yes. I saw her. She would have killed me too, but she didn't know I saw it. She put it in their food and then they died."

"Ripa!" _Murderer._ Lexa said it under her breath.

"A few of us knew of her intentions to try to convince you to be with members of our population, but she mentioned hosting events like parties or-"

"Weddings?" Clarke asked.

"Yes, things like that. Things to get people together and hopefully everything would just work out. She even said humanity's survival was the most important thing so even if we brought you here and you only mated with your own people, at least there would still be people."

"That's true. That's what I heard. I didn't know she was thinking anything other than that until your people arrested us earlier and told us. I swear."

"I do know something else though." It was the woman.

"Speak." Lexa ordered her.  
"I am York's cousin. We grew up together. I was older so when his parents died, I understood a little more than he did about it."

"Okay?" Clarke prodded.

"I think she killed them too."

"What?"  
"I didn't know for sure until the poisoning of the cabinet, but I saw them in their coffins the day of their funeral. Their lips were the same shade of purple/blue as the members of the cabinet the days of their funerals."

"Why would she kill them?"

"Many people thought York's father would make a good president one day. He was already a representative when he died and was considered to be a strong candidate in the next election. His wife did not like Carolina. I think she killed them both so she wouldn't have to have York's mom try to have her investigated."

"Then why take York in?"

"Because she's a psychopath." Another man finally spoke up. "What part of that aren't you getting? What better way of exerting total control and power? She adopted York and raised him as her little errand boy. He'll be loyal to her until the day she dies or she kills him."

"You're wrong about that." Clarke said, but didn't elaborate anymore. "You'll be transferred to the hospital where we're holding the rest of the your people. We'll get this sorted out as soon as possible."

"What does that mean? We didn't do anything wrong? We're no danger to you or your people? You have weapons. You have the numbers."

"Just hang in there, okay?" Clarke told them and she and Lexa left the building.

"She's a killer, Clarke." Lexa stated the moment they were alone and walking home.

"I know."

"What are we going to do with her?"

"Jus drein jus daun." _Blood must have blood._

"I will allow Indra the kill since she has-"

"No Lexa, it's not Indra's kill." Clarke stopped walking. Lexa stopped too.

"You want to-"

"No, it's not mine. It's not your kill either."

"Well, hail the conquering heroes." Carolina stated when they entered the house. She was still tied to the chair, but she'd been drinking water when they walked in so her gag was gone. "How is it ruling my city?" She asked.

Indra and Octavia were standing behind her. Lincoln and Bellamy were in the kitchen. Kane was standing, arms crossed in the doorway.

"Your people have been doing a lot of talking."

York walked in from the backyard.

"York, can I talk to you?" Clarke asked him.

"See Lexa? I was right. They do like each other." Carolina teased. Lexa's fire burned deep.

"Do you see this?" Clarke held out her wrist. Carolina looked at it. "This is for her. Now, shut the hell up."

Indra put the gag back in her mouth to silence a small laugh.

"York?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Indra, keep an eye on her." She motioned to Lexa.

"No need. As much as I want to kill her right now, I will resist that urge because you were right, Clarke." She leaned down and stared into Carolina's eyes. "She's not my kill."

Carolina looked confused for a second before that overconfident look returned to her face. Clarke took York outside.

"York, I've got to tell you something."

"Okay?" He seemed concerned.

"I heard some things today about Carolina."

"I bet."

"About Carolina and your parents." She started. "How much do you know about their deaths?"

"Just that Carolina said the disease-"

"It wasn't a disease."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was told today that they might have been poisoned."  
"What? Why?" He was growing upset.

"Because your father would have made a great president and your mother didn't trust Carolina."

"So… Who? I mean…" He ran his hand through his short, dark hair. "Wait. You think Carolina killed my parents?"

"I can't prove it myself, but I think Dr. Harker or one of his researchers could. My mom could too given the right equipment."

"Why?"

"Because she wanted the power. All of this… this whole place… this drive to bring us here… it's all about power to her."

"But then why take me in? My mom had a sister. She died in a fire a few years back… at the plant, but she would have raised me."

"I don't know. I can only guess." Clarke replied. "I think she did it again to the cabinet members who died recently."

"Who told you all this?"

"We spoke with the representatives earlier and they didn't have anything nice to say about her. One of them witnessed her poisoning the cabinet."

"Who?"

"Your cousin." Clarke decided to be completely honest with the guy who'd risked his life to help them.

"Brooklyn?"

"I didn't get her name."

"She saw this and didn't tell me?"

Clarke nodded.

"I'm sorry to drop all this on you, York, but you had the right to know."

He sat on a chair in front of the long table they'd been eating at the night before.

"Now, what am I supposed to do?"

"She's dangerous." It was Kane. He'd apparently heard most if not all of their conversation. "I've spent some time with her today and there's no rehabilitation for her. If she's ever free, she will seek revenge. You can count on that."

"Kane-" Clarke started.

"Young man, it is ultimately up to you in my opinion what happens to her, but just remember… if she's murdered 5 people that we know about, how many are there that we don't know about?"

"For someone who keeps talking about adding to the population, it seems she wants to make sure the people she's adding are ones that support her." Clarke added.

"I need a minute." York stated and walked off toward the woods behind the house.

Clarke walked up to Kane.

"Did you get it?"

"Yes, I got it. It's in the kitchen." He nodded toward the kitchen. "And Clarke?"

"Yeah?"  
"I was wrong to doubt you." He walked inside the house and Clarke waited a moment before following. She checked on the group in the living room. Carolina was still alive so she went to the kitchen.

"Here it is. Kane stole it from some of those cops." Bellamy shared and pointed at the long-range radio Clarke requested when they first arrived to communicate with the people back in Jaha and the capital, but it never arrived. Obviously, she knew the reason now. Both the capital and Jaha had a radio that would pick up the signals. She had assigned Wick and Raven to work on it earlier in the day.

"Good. Tomorrow, we'll radio the camp and fill them in on what's been happening."

"Why not now? We have the city?"  
"Because the first question they'll ask is are we staying or going back and I don't have the answer to that question yet. I want to check on the supply situation here find out the real story. Then, I'll have a better idea of what we should do."

"Lincoln and I can check on the fuel supply with York tomorrow." Bellamy volunteered.

Lincoln nodded.

"Thank you."

She walked into the living room where she saw so many things all at once. Lexa was turned away from Carolina and appeared to be taking her jacket off and putting her sword away while Indra and Octavia were talking off to the side of Carolina whose gag was out and York was pouring water down her mouth while Kane just watched.

It took only a few seconds for the coughing to start.

"Thank you, so-" She tried to get out apparently thinking the water had just gone down the wrong pipe.

"Do not call me son." It wasn't that though. It was poison and Clarke knew it as she coughed louder. "You killed them. You killed them the same way you always taught me that if it was necessary to kill, kill with poison."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

Lexa turned back around and Clarke stood next to her. Indra and Octavia looked to them to determine what they should do, but Clarke didn't know what any of them should do.

"Yo-" Carolina couldn't get the words out. Blood started trickling down her chin.

"It's the nightshade grown by the radiation run-off." He told her as he leaned down to take in her reaction. "It's what you used, isn't it? You carried it with you all the time back when you worried someone would try to kill you after you tried to enact the law that would require all women who were able to continue to produce children until their bodies were no longer able. And to think, I believed you thought it was best for all of us, but you just wanted the power. You've always wanted the power, but Carolina… I have the power now."

She sputtered a few times before hanging her head against her chest. She was gone. York just stared at her for a few moments and Clarke watched as Carolina's lips turned blue.

"Octavia, have Lincoln help you in disposing of the body. Indra?"

"Yes, Heda." Indra responded and moved quickly as if this was not the first time she'd done this.

"Blood must have blood." Kane stated and walked out of the house.

"What happened?" Bellamy came in with Lincoln.

"I took care of something I should have long ago." York stood. He looked at Clarke. "I surrender myself to you to face the consequences of my actions."

"Consequences?" Bellamy asked.

"Go home, York. I'll send for you in the morning." Clarke told him.

He nodded, took a last look at Carolina and walked out.

"What the hell happened?" Bellamy questioned again.

"Bell, just help us with her." Octavia asked. "I'll explain later." The four of them worked to move Carolina in the chair outside the back door. Clarke wasn't sure where they would bury her, but she was glad to have the body outside her home. She stared down at the carpet where there was now a bloodstain.

"I can have someone remove it tomorrow." Lexa told her as she stood beside her.

"Don't bother." Clarke told her. "I don't plan on staying in this house any longer than we have too."

Clarke walked off into their room.

"Where will you go?" Lexa asked her, following.

Clarke flopped backwards on the bed.

"Another house?"

"So, you wish to stay here in the city?" Lexa asked.

Clarke sat up.

"Don't you?"

"I wish to stay with you." Lexa replied honestly.

"I'm going to check supplies tomorrow. Then, we'll radio in what's happened. To the camp and capital. We can send for everyone and plan how to get them here or we can plan our own trip back. That one's obviously easier. Far fewer of us and-"

"And your brain never shuts off, does it?" Lexa asked her with a smile. She sat next to her on the bed and leaned back using her arms to hold her up. "Clarke, you took an entire city today. Normally, I'm the first to say we need to charge on to the next battle, but I think maybe we can just take a night to relax."

Clarke looked at her with confusion.

"Relax? I wasn't sure that was a word that translated into English for your people." She smiled.

"What happened downstairs… do you want to talk about it?" Lexa asked her more seriously.

"Not really." Clarke admitted and flopped backwards on the bed once again.

"Okay. We don't have too, but if you change your mind, I'm here." Lexa moved to stand so she could continue to ready herself for bed.

"I put the gun in his hand." Clarke said to the air. Lexa paused and sat back down, this time facing Clarke and looking down at her.

"There was no g-" Lexa realized it was a metaphor.

"I told him what she did. I guess I didn't expect him to react so quickly. Where did he even find the nightshade?" She asked more herself than Lexa.

"There's a patch in the yard." Lexa informed. "I noticed it when we first arrived." She stared down at Clarke. "You should know Kane was the one that handed him the water. I saw it, but did nothing to stop it. The fault likes with Carolina; no one else. She brought this on herself, Clarke and York had every right to avenge his parents and any others she's taken from this world out of greed and power." She paused. "Are you disappointed?"

Clarke sat up forcing Lexa to move.

"No, I'm not disappointed. I guess, in a way, I knew what he was going to do even if I didn't think he'd do it right then."

"The world is better without her in it."

"Sometimes, I struggle with understanding why we're the ones who get to make that decision." Clarke admitted. "With Carolina, I understand, but sometimes we-"

"We do what we must to survive."

"I think the first time you kissed me you agreed that it's more than just surviving that matters."

Lexa took her hand in her lap.

"That's because I knew that kissing you would make me feel alive for the first time in a long time."

"And now? How does it feel?"

Lexa leaned in. The kiss was slow at first until it started to build. Clarke felt that fire in her bones that Lexa always made her realize anew with each touch. It slowed naturally and Lexa pulled back.

"It feels like I am home wherever we reside." Lexa expressed with those eyes that made Clarke feel so found when she stared into them.

Clarke reached for Lexa's face to begin the kiss again and later, after Lexa fell asleep, Clarke found herself tracing the tattoo on her chest with her fingers as she drew breath into her body. She looked around the room and made a decision.

Dawn came and for the first time, Clarke didn't feel the need to rise with the sun. She lay there next to Lexa whose eyes began to open slowly and turn toward her. There were precious moments of silence shared between them that Clarke would not have thought possible only a few months prior.

"What are you thinking about?" Lexa finally asked her.

"You." She replied.  
"What about me?" Lexa asked, staring up at the ceiling.

"You're beautiful." Clarke told her. "It's always been there, I know that, but last night, I just watched you sleep. You looked, I don't know… at peace. I love seeing you like that."

Lexa smiled at her.

"We are at peace, Clarke. With the president dead, we can move onto the others and determine who is on our side and who knew of her plan. We can punish and move on."

"Move on here?" Clarke asked.

"Is that what you want?" Lexa asked.

"Why does it have to be my decision?" Clarke asked and rolled on her back to stare at the ceiling.

"Because Clarke, I will go wherever you are as will these people." Lexa rolled on her side and wrapped her arm over Clarke's body. "If you want to live to the capital, we will rule side by side there, if you want to live in Jaha, I might be risking my life everyday, but I will go with you. We can travel between." She paused. "If you want to live here, we will make this place our home. We will setup a new civilization with a new name as you suggested."

"Do you have any idea how much work that's going to take?"

"We'll uncover that together."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

Clarke started at the hospital. She knew that would be one of her mother's first questions. What kind of supplies did they really have? They'd put on a good show before, but that was when they were trying to get them here. She had to admit she didn't really know what she was looking for. Her mom was the doctor. She knew enough to get by, but she was no healer. Lexa brought Atami with them in the group of 20, but she didn't know anything about this kind of technology and medicine. Clarke just resigned herself to writing down the names of things she thought were important. She'd brought Lincoln and Octavia along to help. At first, she was concerned. The supplies seemed pretty limited. It appeared the show really was a show, but then they found a large room that had rows and rows of medication. More than likely, much of it was expired, but Clarke just made notes. There was also a basement where machines were stored. She had Lincoln and some other grounders help move them around when they were in the way so she could see what was behind them. It reminded her of inventory. Finding, writing, moving onto the next thing. By the end of the morning, they had made it through much of the hospital. Clarke sensed they had the technology; just not the people to run or use it. They had the people and some of them could train others on how to work it. The thing she didn't know was how to make more. Once this medicine ran out, how would they make more? Could they make more? She'd have to leave that for other to figure out. By afternoon, she'd returned to the house only to find no one there.

"Come." Lexa motioned with her hand from the car York was driving.

"Where?" Clarke asked.

"Our new home."

Clarke climbed in the car next to Lexa. Lexa smiled at her and York drove off.

"Where is this new home?" Clarke asked her.

"You'll see."

After a few minutes, they arrived outside a house that was much bigger than their last. It had a large front yard and was made out of durable brick. It looked as if it had been taken care of well over the years.

"Here." York said. He turned off the car and climbed out of it. "Oh and driving lessons start tomorrow. I can't be the only one in this place that can drive a car." He joked.

Clarke and Lexa got out too.

"Whose house was this?" Clarke asked.

"My parents." York shared. "I've been keeping it up since they died, but it's been vacant ever since. It's one of the nicest in the city, close to the city's main buildings. It belongs to you now." He held up a set of keys.

"What? No, York. This place belongs to you." Clarke argued.

"I can't live here. Never could. Too many memories. That's why I moved in with Brooklyn a while back. I would have given you Carolina's presidential home, but Lexa said you'd never take it."

Clarke looked back at her.

"She was right."

"Bring your people here, Clarke. We can all start over. You can be the leader we need."

She looked at Lexa again and then back to York.

"Thank you." It was all she could say.

"I'm going back to the hospital to continue the interviews." He said. He and some of the others had been interviewing the captives to try to determine who knew of Carolina's plan and murderous past. So far, they believed only a handful of people assisted her. The rest had been let go, but were being watched just in case they tried something or had been great liars. Lexa was leading up many of the interrogations with Indra taking the overflow.

They walked inside their new house. There was a winding staircase leading to the second floor ahead and to the right. The foyer was large and had a tile floor. Lexa took Clarke's hand and walked her past the staircase and through the expansive kitchen. There was a backdoor that Lexa pushed open.

"Look." She pointed.

In the backyard was an old pool. It was nothing like the pool with the river running through it at the capital, but it had water in it and the woods butted up against it so it was beautiful to Clarke.

"It's perfect." She looked at Lexa. "Is he really sure about this? Did you ask him for this place or-"

"He offered. He knew you wouldn't want to live at Carolina's house and I told him about how we didn't want to stay at the house we'd been given. He told me about this house. I saw it and knew you would love it."

"It's great, Lexa. Thank you."

Lexa took in Clarke's expression. She was definitely happy with the house, but there was something else going on beneath that as well.

"Back to work?" Lexa guessed.

Clarke laughed lightly.

"I need to talk to Bellamy about what his group found and then catch up with Kane about setting up the watches on those we've let go. I don't want the innocent people thinking they're still in prison, but I want to know what's going on at the same time. I think he can handle that and it will keep him busy too. Then, I need to call the camp and we need to call the capital and tell them what's happened here."

"Miles to go before I sleep?" Lexa asked almost to herself.

"What?"

"It's from a poem." Lexa educated. "My mother used to read it to me each night. She had it memorized. Her mother read it to her and so on."

It was then that Clarke realized how little she knew about Lexa's family beyond the fact that they were all dead.

"I never took you for the poetry type." Clarke smirked. She started walking back inside the house with Lexa following her.

"No need for it as Commander, but my mother was not a Commander."

They walked back inside and Lexa took her up the stairs.

"What did she do?"

"You would call her a judge."

"You have judges?"

"Yes, the Commander cannot see to all the issues of their people. We have several judges. They hear about the concerns of the people and make decisions. They meet with the Commander when needed."

"I guess I know where you get it from."

They arrived at the top of the stairs and Lexa started walking toward a room.

"Get what from?"

"Your strength." Clarke replied. "It has to take a lot of that to be a judge for your people." She followed Lexa into the bathroom and saw the amazing bathtub that was wider than the one at Lexa's place in the capital.

"I thought you'd like that too." She said. Clarke just smiled at her. They left and walked toward the bathroom.

"What did your father do?"

"He was the Commander's second until his death." She stood in the doorway and allowed Clarke to enter before her.

Clarke looked around the room and noticed the large bed and wondered if that had been the same bed York's parents slept in. She made a mental note to try to change it with another one if she got the chance. Lexa walked over to the large bay window that overlooked the backyard.

"How did he die?" She gently asked.

"Battle. Protecting the Commander. He died with honor."

"And your mother?"

"In childbirth."

"Lexa…" Clarke had no idea.

"My younger brother. He survived only days after her death. My father and I had each other though."

Clarke walked up and stood beside her, staring out the window instead of making eye contact.

"What were their names?"

"Liam and Nexa. I was to be named after my father if I was a boy. When I was born, they…"

"Got creative?" Clarke asked and looked over at her with a small smile, trying to keep the mood light. Lexa didn't look in her direction, but she smiled slightly and lowered her head.

"My brother was named Liam. He would have been called Liam Strik."

"Strick?"

"Little. Liam Little."

"It's a good name."

"He would have made a good warrior." Lexa said and stared back out the window.

"Or something else." Clarke replied.

"I should get back to the interrogations." Lexa deflected. Clarke could tell she'd had her fill of bringing up old memories.

"Okay. I'll find Bellamy." Lexa walked toward the bedroom door. "Lexa?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for this." She looked around the room.

Lexa nodded and smiled shyly.

"Bell, what do you know?" Clarke asked.

"Well, the electricity is hydro so we're good there. They've got a dam just like the mountain. The fuel is another story. It can be produced from the plant they've got, but it looks like it takes hundred of people manning the damn thing." Bellamy explained. "Davis runs the place. He's been basically on his own with his son trying to keep the cars and planes in fuel." Bellamy introduced Davis who was standing to his left. He was a man of about 40. He was wearing an old, tattered jump suit that was covered in some kind of grease.

"I had nothing to do with-" He started as he wiped his hand on a rag.

"I know." Clarke interjected. "You've been cleared. I just need to know what you need here to keep the fuel coming for the basics. The stoves run on gas, don't they?"

"Yeah and the heaters too. We've been rationing for a while now. Before you got here, at least. With winter coming though, that gets hard. People start to freeze, they start fires instead of turning on the heat, and accidents happen. We lost 10 last winter that way."

"What do you need?" Clarke asked.

"People who are willing to work. I can show them the ropes. My son Leo can too. He's a good kid. Works hard."

"You'll get your people tomorrow." Clarke told him.

She started walking off and Bellamy followed.

"Food supply looks good for now. They farm and raise cattle. The only problem is-"  
"Winter?"

"Yeah, they should be stocking up to make it through, but they need help."

"We can do that."

"Davis is going to need at least 50 people to get this place up and running again."

"How many for the food?"  
"Probably at least another 50. Maybe more."

"The dam?"

"20 to 30 to keep it going. It's been run down without maintenance. Davis said his friend who works it has mentioned there are some major structural issues that need to be addressed so maybe even more for that."

Clarke sighed.  
"Anything else?" She asked, knowing the answer.

"Security? Government? Doctors?" Bellamy listed.

"Just to start." Clarke added.

"Clarke, if we're going to make this place home, we need more people who have skills. We've got a lot of warriors here. They can fight, but if there's no battle to fight…"

"I get it." She paused. "I'm making a call to the camp today. Catch a ride with York. Meet Lexa and I at our house. We'll work on a plan together." She told him.

"Okay." He replied.

Clarke pulled out the radio and Raven helped her find the right frequency. They'd tried contacting the camp earlier, but no one was on the other end. It didn't concern anyone since the routine they'd setup before they left was for one contact at the same time each week. The camp would still turn their radio on everyday, but there might not always be someone there to listen for them. It was long past dinner and most of the Sky People who'd come to the city with her were in the new living room. Octavia and Lincoln remained at the hospital to guard those still imprisoned in the rooms. After all the interrogations were done, Clarke was confident that only about 7 people knew what the president would resort to if they didn't comply with her plan. 2 of them outright admitted they also knew about her killing the cabinet members and that they helped her do it.

"Camp Jaha, it's Clarke. Anyone there?" She said into the radio. She repeated after she heard only static.

"We should contact the capital. We can reach back out to the camp later." Lexa suggested.

"Clarke?" It was a voice on the other end of the radio.

"Jasper?"

"Yeah and Monty's here too. We just started our watch or I guess technically our listen. Your mom suggested we start setting up shifts at the radio."

"Jasper, I need you to get my mom. We need to talk to her."

"Okay, but how are you guys?" He paused. "How is it there?" He sounded sad. Clarke recalled watching him cling to the girl he loved in the mountain as she lay dead. Seeing that was one of the reasons she decided to leave the camp. That all seemed like so long ago to her now, but she was guessing it didn't seem like that long ago to Jasper or even Monty and the other mountain survivors. When she was in the camp, she'd isolated herself so she wouldn't have to see their faces, their stares.

"It's okay. Just get Abby for me. Please." She stated realizing the residual tension between the two of them and not wanting to make him think she was dolling out orders.

"She's in medical." It was Monty. "Jasper's going to get her."

"Okay. Monty, do we have anyone that knows anything about fuel or hydro electricity?"

"Um… I don't know. I guess Raven and Wick would be my top picks. Why?"

"Long story. You'll hear in a minute. Anyone else you can think of?"

"I can try to put together a list for you? Anything specific I should ask them?"

"I don't know. We just need people who are familiar with it to direct people who aren't."

"Okay." Pause. "How important is this?"

"It's important." She told him. Then, she heard some shuffling on the other end.

"Clarke?"

"Mom?"

"It's me. What's going on?"

"We need to talk." Clarke started at the beginning. It was harder than she expected. Her mom had been here and had seen all the amazing things Carolina had promised. She was having a hard time believing that everything was just a ploy to get them here.

"Clarke, are you sure? Maybe you misinterpreted her meaning. I can talk to-"

"She's dead, mom."

"What?"

"She's dead. She was killed by the man she's lied to for years. She murdered his parents because they might have opposed her and she killed 3 other people that we know about so York killed her."

"Clarke…" It was an exasperated sound, not an angry one. "I'm sorry. I should have seen it." There was static. "I should have thought it through before we just agreed to go, but we had a chance to save Raven's life and then when it worked and they showed us what life could be like there, I just jumped on it."

"So did I." Clarke responded.

"So did I." Kane added. "I don't think we can blame anyone. We all wanted what Carolina offered." He looked at Clarke. "We can still have it if we all work together."

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked. He and Monty were still listening in.

"We're staying." Clarke said.

"There are people there that-"

"Don't like us very much? Yeah, we know. We've arrested them. We'll figure out what to do with them later, but all of us here think we stand a good chance of making this place our new home."

"What do you want us to do?" Monty asked.

"York's agreed to fly the plane for us and they have one other pilot York trusts. We have enough fuel, according to him to get back and forth about 10 times. That's about 200 people with the two planes."

"We have more than 200 people here, Clarke." Abby filled in.

"I know, but we need more fuel to get them from there to here. We need to get as many people here as possible to help work at the plant and in other places. Once we have a system in place, we can make regular runs to get the rest of the people."

"What about the people who don't want to go?" Jasper asked. Clarke wondered if he was talking about himself.

"I'm not going to make anyone come here if they don't want too, but we can't help them if they stay. They'll be too far away. With winter coming, we'll need the rest of the fuel and food for ourselves. In the spring, we can start supply runs maybe, but-"

"That's assuming they make it through winter?" Monty asked and really answered himself. "If they're waiting for Jaha to come back or send a message from the City of Light, they could be waiting a long time."

"Yeah."

"My people are more equipped to handle the harsh winters." Lexa shared. "With the alliance still in place, you can send the people who want to stay to the capital. They will be taken care of there." She offered.

"What makes you think any of us will want to be with any of you?" Jasper asked with disdain.

"What do you think it's like here, Jasper?" Raven asked. "We're all going to live together. One big happy family." She replied with a little sarcasm.

"If people want to stay at Jaha, I won't stop them, Jasper, but there's nothing I can do to help them either." Clarke explained.

"I can talk to everyone. Let them know the plan." Abby stated.

"I need you to focus on people who can help specifically with what I mentioned. Monty knows the details."

"Okay."

"I can send York tomorrow if you can get people ready. He believes he can get pretty close to the camp, but you'll still need to walk a few miles to an area where he can land."

"We'll be ready." Abby confirmed. "Give Jasper the details when you have them. I'll get the first group ready."

"We'll send two of our groups first. They can get started on getting settled and we'll work with the citizens to get job placements going. Then, we'll send for two groups of grounders. When they arrive, we'll do the same until we can't pick up anymore." That was shared with the group in front of her more than the group on the other end of the radio. "We have to move fast."

"Understood." Kane stated.

"Mom, I need you in that first group."

"Clarke, I told you-"

"I know, but the only doctor here can't be trusted and I need to get the medical situation taken care of here. There are people there that can take care of Jaha in the meantime. If need be, you can always fly back with York on one of the trips and check in."

There was a moment of silence.

"Okay. I'll be on a plane tomorrow." She agreed.

They wrapped up with some details of the plan and Clarke felt much better after having spoken with her mother. Despite the fact that she believed herself an adult and constantly battled for her mother and others to see her that way, for some reason, talking to her mom about what they went through and her plan made her feel like she was doing the right thing.

"I'll have the plane fueled up and ready to go when you say." York mentioned.

"Thank you." Clarke told him.

"I'm going to head out now. Anyone need a ride anywhere?" He asked. Before, their house had been so near the others, it was only a walk across a yard to get home, but now it amounted to a few miles.

"I'm in. By the way York, I'm gonna need some driving lessons stat. Now that I don't have too, I really don't want to walk everywhere." Raven said. Wick stood with her and they exited with York. Kane followed close behind with Bellamy until only Indra remained.

"Commander, I wish to remain behind." She started. "I do not believe you are safe and you have no guard."

"Thank you, Indra, but you require rest as well. Send two warriors to stand out front and back. That will be enough for tonight. We can undertake a security plan tomorrow. I want one for Clarke to take effect immediately."  
"I don't-" Clarke tried to interject.

"Heda is right, Clarke." Indra stopped her. It sounded strange hearing Indra say her name and not call her Sky Girl. "You are the leader of this place." She looked to Lexa as if to check on the article she'd used. She said _the_ leader and not _a_ leader, which made it sound as if Clarke was the sole person in charge of this new civilization. Lexa didn't comment. "Your security is important. I will find the best warriors who are loyal to Heda to stand guard night and day."

Clarke just nodded knowing there was no objecting to this plan, but also starting to see Indra warming toward her made her want to just accept her offer.

"If you want a ride, you should leave now or else-"  
"I will walk. Scout the neighborhood on my way back. I will send the guards at once." She nodded at Lexa and then proceeded out the front door.

Clarke let the hot water run down her body. She'd walked so much during the day, she could feel the sweat and dirt washing off her body and rolling into the drain. She ran her finger through her hair and started thinking about housing. She hadn't uncovered how much actually existed versus how many people they'd bring. Carolina seemed to think it was enough, but no one could trust what that woman said. She made a mental note to discuss it with York and others the next time they spoke.

She heard the bathroom door open and knew it was Lexa. She opened the shower door and climbed inside. She didn't say anything. She just grabbed the bar of soap and used it on Clarke's body. Clarke stood still and felt her soft hands run over her body. She closed her eyes and considered for a moment that this whole thing could work. If they handled it the right way, they could all make this a home. The entire coalition of the clans including the people from the ark, could potentially live in the same place, work together and experience no more war. The thought left her once she realized the hands had stopped moving, the soap was gone from her body and she felt lips kissing her neck.

She reached around and touched the back of Lexa's head to encourage her to continue. She felt one of her hands reach around her body and between her legs. Her breath stopped momentarily until the fingers started working against her. She turned in Lexa's arms and was promptly pressed against the wall so Lexa could continue while kissing her.

"That feels good." Clarke told her and the fingers began moving faster. All other thoughts left her brain. She only knew how good it felt when Lexa touched her like this. Lexa's lips moved to Clarke's neck. Clarke's arms were around her neck. She gripped her hair as she came with Lexa pressed all the way against her. After a moment of shared silence, Clarke pushed Lexa back toward the other shower wall and watched her smile as she did so. She knelt in front of her and slid her legs apart as far as they would go in the shower. Lexa just lifted one leg off the ground and placed it on Clarke's shoulder. Clarke put her tongue to work and listened to Lexa's sounds. This continued into the bedroom and through most of the night. Clarke finally felt as if they were in a good enough place to just enjoy herself and the woman she loved. She fell asleep with a smile on her face. She'd done that a lot since Lexa, but this was the first time it was for more than just the woman lying beside her.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

"Clarke, we have a problem." York told her. She'd met him with two guards at the airstrip where he and the other pilot, a man named Warner were about to take off to go pick up the people from the camp.

"What's wrong?" She asked, thinking back to those worry free moments from the night before and wondering how she'd ever thought things would just work out.

"Our big plane is missing." He shared. He pointed to a flat area of land.

"Missing?"

"Yeah, we have two small planes and one larger one. Fits about 350 people plus a small crew. We only have a few people here who know how to fly and we've never really needed it so it just sits there. I haven't checked on the planes in a few days so I don't know who took it or when."

"The better question is why." Clarke brought up. "If they just wanted to flee because they were loyal to Carolina or didn't want us here, they could have taken the smaller planes."

"I know."

"So, who else is a pilot?"

"It's really just me and Warner here. A few other people know the basics, but a plane like that isn't really basic."

"What about-" Warner stopped himself.

"What about what?" Clarke asked.

"It's just…" He started and looked down at the ground. "I've been giving someone lessons for the last few months. Not on the big one, but still. We talked about it."

"Who?" Clarke insisted.

"Brooklyn." He answered.

"Your cousin?" Clarke asked York.

"You've been teaching her? She never said anything about it."

"I offered. Brooklyn is…" He faded while his cheeks started turning red.

"Oh my God! You like my cousin?"

"What? She's available, isn't she?" Warner questioned. "She mentioned she wanted to know what it was like to fly and I offered to teach her."

"Wait. She asked you?"

"Well, yeah. Technically." He seemed proud of himself.

"Could she realistic fly that thing?" Clarke asked him.  
"Yeah. I don't know for how long though. There was probably only enough fuel in it for one big run somewhere. I never went over refueling or anything with her."

"How long of a run?" York asked him.

"I don't know. A couple thousand miles at most. We really only leave fuel in it in case of emergencies. We can fit everyone on it at once."

"Why would she steal it?" York asked both of them.

"I don't know, but now I want to know when." Clarke stated. "We know she was able to take off and fly pretty far since we didn't hear or see a crash. Does anyone live close enough to hear or see the planes take off?" She looked around.

"Not really. This place was already here. The buildings nearest it were struck down with the bombs. We never bothered to rebuild them. These planes somehow managed to survive everything, but I know she was in our house this morning. I woke up early and saw she was still in bed."

"Great. So, we still have no way of knowing where she went or why she left."

"We don't even know for sure it was her. She was in bed this morning. I'm going to drive home and check on her. Then, we can figure out who really took the plane."

York ran toward the car while Warner and Clarke stood next to the two small planes.  
"What do you think?" Clarke asked him.

"There's no chance it's anyone else. Brooklyn's the only one who'd be able to get that plane off the ground and even then, it would be difficult. The plane is difficult to get off the ground. She'd need someone to sit in the co-pilot seat just to help her pull up and maybe even keep it steady."

"So, it's not just her up there?"

"No way."

"York! Wait up! I'm coming with you!" Clarke yelled after him. "Warner, go ahead with the first plane. Get the ones that can fit here. Make a second trip if you need too and make sure Abby is on the first flight." She ran off after York. Her guards followed. Warner hopped into the plane and started the engine.

"It's not her, Clarke." York told her as they drove off. "First, she wouldn't have just stolen a plane. She knows that's our lifeline if there's an emergency and second, she would have told me if something was going on and she needed it. She knows I know how to fly the thing."

"York, I don't know much about your cousin so I'm trying to reserve my opinion on what's going on until I know for sure what's really going on."

He chuckled lightly.

"Well, I guess that's a good approach."

A few minutes later, they arrived at York's house. He turned the car off and ran inside. Clarke didn't bother to follow. She was pretty sure Warner was right and when York exited with a look on his face, she knew it.

"Nothing?"

"No, but there are other places she could be. I'm going to go to the city center. She might be there. A few of the representatives were going to try to meet today."

"York…" Clarke didn't want to have to finish that sentence.

"It doesn't make any sense. Why would she steal a plane? Why wouldn't she ask me for flying lessons? I would have given them to her."

"I'll go find the others. We'll figure this out." She paused. "York, I hate to ask you this, but are you okay to fly?"

"Clarke, I can't-"

"There's nothing you can do until she comes back… if she comes back."

He had a new expression his face.

"The radio!" He exclaimed. "You go get the radio and turn it to the frequency we used when we were in the air last time. Try to get her on the radio. I'll get up in the air and try to do the same. If you're too far away, maybe I can pick her up." He started rushing toward the car.

"I'll have someone on the radio." Clarke told him.

"I'll call Warner when I get up, have him do the same."

"Okay."

He sped off, leaving Clarke and the guards behind. She walked quickly to Raven's house with them in tow to get her back on the radio to try to see if she could get in contact with Brooklyn. She then went to find Lexa to break the news of the plane disappearance, but when she arrived home, Lexa wasn't there. She walked back to the other houses to find her with the group, but she wasn't there either.

"Where's Lexa?" She asked Indra.

"She's outside." Indra replied. "She asked for a moment alone."

Clarke walked into the backyard expecting to see Lexa there, but she wasn't. She walked around to the side of the house, but nothing. She went back inside.

"She's not out there." Clarke reported.

Indra and Kane both snapped to attention in the kitchen. Indra immediately went to the back door.

"Hos op!" _Hurry up._ She ordered Clarke's guards to follow and they did.

"How long ago did she go outside?" Clarke asked Kane.

"She just got back from wrapping up a few interrogations of some of the people suspected of working with Carolina. She just said she wanted a moment and walked outside. Indra offered to follow, but she said she'd only be gone a minute."

Just then, Bellamy, Octavia and Lincoln ran into the house with three grounders.

"Clarke, something's happened." Bellamy informed.

"Lexa?" She worried.

"We ran over here as quick as we could. A plane landed a few miles away from the city."

"What?" Clarke asked. "How long ago?"

"Probably 30 minutes ago. We ran as fast as we could. We couldn't find anyone with a car and the cars we found didn't have gas." Octavia helped Bellamy who was short on breath.  
"It was larger than the others." Lincoln added, less out of breath than the other two.

"Brooklyn!" Clarke started moving toward the front door to leave with the others until she remembered Lexa was missing. "Lexa's gone."

"What?" Bellamy asked.

Indra ran back inside.

"The Commander is not outside. I've sent your guards on the search. She saw the three other grounders. Masta ai op!" _Follow me!_ "We must find Heda." She shouted and the three grounders followed her outside. Clarke turned to follow them.

"Clarke? What about the plane?" Octavia questioned.

Clarke stood between the grounders heading outside to look for Lexa and her friends on the other side who needed her to find out about the plane that had just landed. She had a moment where she had no idea what she should do. It was then that she thought about what Lexa would have done in the situation. At the mountain, she chose her people over her feelings for Clarke and Clarke had hated her for that. She knew Lexa would tell her to do the same and find the reason for the plane and leave finding her to Indra and the grounders, but something was telling her that she could trust Bellamy and the others. Something told her that she needed to find Lexa.

"You go!" She ordered. "The car in the driveway has gas. York told me yesterday. I don't know how much, but it should be enough. Drive for as far as you can and as fast as you can. Find the plane. See what's going on and take the hand held." She reached over to the counter and picked up one of their hand held radios. She snapped the other one to her belt. "Report back what you find."

"You're not coming?" He questioned.

"Lexa's missing."

"One problem, guys." Octavia shared. "None of us actually know how to drive."

"We'll learn fast." Bellamy stated with confidence. "We'll check in. You do the same… about Lexa."

Clarke must have had concern written all over her face. It was Lincoln that reached for her arm.

"We will find the Commander. Until then, she can take care of herself." He consoled. Clarke nodded and started out the back door to follow the others. Kane followed her out.

"Clarke?"

"What?" She asked in an obvious hurry.

"What should I do?" He questioned looking more lost than she'd ever seen him look.

"Go with the others." She ordered. He nodded obediently and ran back into the house.

She ran after Indra and the others as they moved deftly through the woods. She wished she had years of experience doing that, but on the ark, there was very little running. Her head was on a swivel and she'd stop every now and then to turn around and around and look to see if Lexa was nearby. She lost track of the others, which didn't concern her. They needed to spread out to be effective in their search. She ended up on another house-lined street. There was no sign of her. Clarke knew in her gut something was going on. Lexa wouldn't just wander off without telling people. She was used to having guards around her constantly. She was rarely alone.

Clarke didn't know what to do though. Normally, she'd look to Lexa for advice. She'd look to anyone at this point, but she was alone on the street. She had no choice but to return to the house and try to reconvene. She ran as fast as she could and got back to the kitchen in time to hear Indra barking out more orders to even more grounders she'd apparently picked up while out on the search.

"Clarke, we will find the Commander." Indra assured her when she saw the expression on her face and recognized the shortness of her breath. "I have my men searching in all directions. They will gather our forces and locate her."

"Has she ever done this before?" Clarke asked thinking maybe Lexa used to do this before they met and she just didn't know.

"No, the Commander does not go off unattended. She should be with a guard-" She stopped. "Sometimes, just you these days." She finished.

"What should I do?" Clarke asked her, feeling completely helpless. Indra looked confused for a moment. "Indra, I am asking for your help." She explained.

Indra looked both concerned for her Commander and still slightly confused. Clarke had never really asked her for help before.

"Stay here. If the Commander returns, use that." She pointed to a spare radio sitting on the table. "We will come back." With that, she was running out the door.

"Ind-" Clarke started, but the woman was gone. "I can't just stay here." She said to herself. She took the radio, but walked out the front door and again found herself spinning her head around to locate Lexa. She somehow hoped she'd magically just appear in front of her and everything would be okay, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. She spotted a car in a nearby driveway and ran to it. York told her that the keys to spare cars were always just on the front seat and the cars were left unlocked. She climbed inside an old red model that smelled of must and leather and took the keys and inserted them in the ignition as she'd seen York do so many times. She turned them and the car sputtered slightly and then died. "Come on!" She yelled and pounded on the steering wheel." She turned the key again and there was more sputtering, but this time it was slightly more promising. One more turn and the car finally roared to life. "Thank you!" She looked at the gauges to see that the gas tank was almost on empty, but she figured it was better than nothing. "Okay, here goes nothing." She shifted the car into the gear she'd seen York use. It was labeled R and when she started to roll slowly backwards, she started to gain confidence in her driving ability. She'd played around with video games on the ark. Some of them involved cars racing so while she was a novice to the actual automobile, she understood enough of the basics to get going. She switched it into drive and floored it down the deserted street. She turned and turned and turned until she finally arrived at her destination. It was the city center where the government buildings lay unoccupied save the few guards she'd put on them and the people held inside still either because they were guilty of the conspiracy or because they hadn't entirely been cleared yet.

She saw York's car in front of one of the buildings she'd yet to enter. The sign outside read Representative Hall. Undoubtedly York went inside to try to find Brooklyn even though it was more than likely she was the one that landed that plane a few miles away from the town. Clarke ran toward the door of the building and reached behind her back for her gun. It was then that she remembered she'd left it on the table in the kitchen. She didn't take it to the airfield because she figured she'd be returning home right away. She didn't grab it in her haste to find Lexa. When she was about 15 feet from the wide, double glass doors, she stopped. Inside were 4 guards. She moved to the side of the doors so they wouldn't see here and then took a quick glance in. She didn't recognize them from the initial group who came to the city. "Ice Nation." She muttered to herself. She recognized the men. They weren't in the initial group of 20 that came from the Ice Nation. They must have arrived on the plane, but why? Clarke didn't know what to do. She didn't have a weapon and it wasn't like she could just kill them without understanding their story. She looked around and spotted York's car. He'd probably left it unlocked and she knew he had a stash of weapons in the trunk. She moved stealthily toward it and quietly opened the door to reach for the trunk latch. Inside the trunk she found, two knives, which she took and one pistol that held six rounds. She looked to see that it was loaded and left the trunk open so the sound wouldn't alert the guards. She walked back toward the building and considered her options. She wasn't even sure Lexa was inside and she was one against these four. It was likely there were even more inside. She stared down at the gun in her hand and looked back inside one more time before reaching for the radio at her hip. She walked around the corner of the building, gun held high just to make sure there were no guards watching the perimeter and when she didn't see any, she clicked on the radio.

"Indra?" She asked. "Raven? Anyone?" There was static for a few moments.

"Clarke?"

"Octavia?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Lexa is missing."

"What?" Octavia questioned.

"Clarke, where are you?" It was Indra interjecting.

"Indra, I need you to get to the city center. Octavia, did you find anything at the plane?"

"It's deserted." Octavia filled in. "Bellamy is searching it now just in case there's something we missed."

"Get to the city center." She ordered. "Indra, bring everyone you can. The Ice Nation is here."

"What do you mean?" Indra asked.

"I think that plane was full of them." She explained. "I think that Ice Queen is planning a coo."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

Clarke was impatient. It took almost 30 minutes for her forces to gather. They were close too 200 strong with others out searching to gather the rest of the troops from their houses and other locations.

"Did you see the Ice Queen?" Indra asked her from inside the building opposite the Representatives Hall. It had several large rooms, but none big enough to hold all 200 of them so Clarke had pulled in about 15 recommended by Indra along with Octavia, Kane, Lincoln, Bellamy, Raven, Wick and Indra herself.

"No, but I know those four weren't in the original group. With the plane returning, it makes sense."

"But why?" Raven asked. "The alliance-"

"They only went along with the alliance. The Ice Queen has a history with Lexa. She wants her throne and I think she worked something out with Carolina to get it."  
"But how?" Wick asked.

"You're making a lot of assumptions, Clarke." Kane piled on. "Maybe you're wrong. Maybe these guards you saw did come in the original group and-"

"I memorized every member of the Ice Nation when they came."

"Why?" Octavia asked.

"Because I saw it in her eyes the last time she talked to Lexa. She's been hurt and she thinks Lexa and her people are to blame. She wants revenge. It wouldn't surprise me if she somehow met with Carolina covertly or Carolina put Brooklyn on it sensing the tension between all of us and knowing Brooklyn was loyal to her."

"Ai don sen in chit bilaik ai gaf sen in." _I've heard what I needed to hear._ Indra shared before realizing not all of them speak her language. "We will kill them all." The group of grounders in the room let out a chant.

"I don't care about them. I just want to find Lexa." Clarke explained.

"You think she took her?" Bellamy asked.

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

"We're with you." Raven shared.

Wick nodded in agreement. Kane followed. Lincoln and Octavia stepped forward.

"Indra?" Clarke looked to her. "What are our options?"

"Heda would want you-" Indra started.

"In Lexa's absence, you are Commander." Clarke reminded her. "Help me come up with a plan to save her."

Indra nodded with determination.

"We do not know their numbers." She started. "But we will surround them on all sides."

"What if they all aren't inside the building?" Lincoln asked. "We should reserve groups for a second attack just in case."

"No, there's no reserving." Clarke stated and took a step forward. "We go in strong on all sides as Indra suggested. We take them out. If there are more, we'll find them and take them out too."

"I want a sky person with a woods clan warrior for each group. The rest of the clans will be divided." Indra ordered.

"Why are we going in to fight? We should see if it's true, what the girl says, first." It was one of the clan leaders that joined the first group in the city.

"Shof op!" She shouted. We are going in to retrieve our Commander. I do not care about whether what Clarke says is true or not. We will ask questions later. Mela op. Loka au." _Heads up. Eyes open._ "Let's go get our Commander."

Clarke didn't know what to do. Indra was leading the charge, but should she be up front with her or at the back? Should she just wait to see what happens? She knew if Lexa were looking for her, she'd be at the front, but Clarke also knew if something went wrong up there, they needed someone like her to be able to pick up the pieces and carry on so she decided as Indra and the others left the room to make her way toward the middle of the pack.

Indra divided up each team into smaller groups. They'd take the building in small numbers so as not to alert anyone inside who may be watching from the windows. They'd also do so quietly, which wasn't exactly the preferred method for the grounders going into battle, but Indra was great at giving direction and they were all ready to go.

Indra released two groups of 4 to move to the sides and one group of 10 to move around to the back of the building. Another group of ten walked quickly, but quietly toward the front of the building. The truth was that there was nowhere for that group to hide. The other three groups had buildings to weave around or trees to navigate around and hide behind.

Clarke watched from the window of the building they'd just met in as the groups disappeared around the sides and the group taking the front, preceded across the unoccupied street and onto the yard of the building. Indra led the group into the front of the building. Clarke held her breath, as she knew the 4 guards were standing right there. It took, Clarke felt, forever before Indra exited the building and nodded that they were able to take them out. Clarke left the building with a group of about 20 headed toward the front now that it had been cleared. She had York's weapons and ran across the street feeling them move against her body. They pushed the door to the building open and followed Indra's group through the main hall, which was expansive, wide enough for them to walk 15 across if they wanted. She saw the bodies of the 4 guards. Some had blood on them. Some were clearly taken out in ways that didn't cause bleeding. Within a few steps, the group that had gone around back had met them.

"Any resistance?" Indra asked. Clarke pushed her way to the front of the group.

"Lexa?" She asked.

"No one." A grounder said.

Clarke sped up a staircase to the side.

"Clarke!" Indra yelled after her.

"Masta ai op!" _Follow me!_ Clarke yelled it in their language to make sure there was no delay. She ran up the staircase, which turned to the right. When she hit the next floor, she took out her gun and was immediately swarmed by Indra's grounders. "Let's go."

"Sweep the floor." Indra commanded and pointed at pairs of grounders and then at one of the doors. There were about 10 doors in all lining one of the walls and 2 on the other. "You're with me, Sky Girl. What do you think the Commander would do to me if something happened to you?" Indra asked her.

"That one." Clarke pointed at the door nearest them and Indra nodded in agreement. Clarke held up her gun as Indra, sword in hand, opened the door. It was a supply closet. Clarke's heart was racing as they walked to the other door on the wall. Again, they readied themselves and opened the door. They pushed inside a small meeting room that was emptied and just as they were about to turn and go, Clarke heard a grounder shout.

"Hir!"

Clarke and Indra turned and ran down the hall toward the shout and followed him into the room. Clarke saw the hands tied behind the chair before she saw the person.

"York?" She questioned after seeing a man tied up. He was dressed in York's clothes, but he was facing the opposite direction, so she couldn't see his face.

"He has tape on his mouth." Indra shared as she walked around him. She pulled it off hastily and he grimaced. Clarke ran around to him.

"York, what happened?"

"Brooklyn!" He said, as his hands were unbound.

"Why?" Clarke asked him. She knelt down to help unbind his feet.

"She was working with Carolina." He started. "How did I not know? I've just been asking myself how I didn't know."

"Tell us what happened? Where is Lexa? Did Brooklyn take her?"

"I haven't seen her. I came here to see if Brooklyn was here. She wasn't. Instead, I got knocked up side the head by one of the representatives loyal to Carolina. Brooklyn had gotten in and released him and the others she could trust. He told me as much when I came to and then told me about the plane."

"What about it?" Bellamy had apparently followed a later group in and had made his way into the room with Octavia and Lincoln.

"You were right, Clarke. She took it."

"Where?" Clarke asked.

"Back to the capital." Free, he stood. "She picked up some people. About 300 of them. I heard him talking to her on a radio. The others she freed…" He took a breath. "I think they took Lexa. He didn't say her name, but he said she was important and that they got her. I thought they were talking about you, but you're here."

"Where, York?"

"I don't know. He didn't say."

"Who did she bring from the capital?" Lincoln asked.

"Ice Nation." Clarke answered for him.

"I don't know. I didn't get that part." York replied. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, I swear. She told you the truth about Carolina. Why would she do this?"

"So, we would not suspect her betrayal." Indra answered. "Clarke is right. There is no other clan that would go against the Commander like this. It is the Ice Queen. She wants the throne."

"Why would Brooklyn help her?" Octavia asked.

"She wants her own alliance." Indra shared.

"With Carolina dead and only a handful of people left on her side, Brooklyn needed support." Clarke explained. "We left a long-range radio at the capital. My guess is that when things went south here, she used it to contact the capital. She'd know of our issues with the Ice Nation from Carolina. Lexa and I shared that of all the clans, they were the ones we'd have the most problems with. She'd met the Queen before too." Clarke filled in. "None of that matters right now. I'll worry about that later. We need to find Lexa. If the Ice Queen gets a chance…" She gulped. She couldn't finish that sentence.

"She won't." Indra stated confidently. She looked at Clarke.

Clarke was at a loss. She had no playbook to follow, no guide like her mom or even Lexa to help her figure it out. With any luck, her mom would be arriving on a plane soon, but she couldn't count on that. Kane could be of some help, but she rarely listened to what he said anyway so she decided not to waste the time.

"What do-" Clarke started to ask.

"We will fan out and find their hiding spot." Indra explained.

"Where is she likely to go, York? Are there any spots she'd know we wouldn't know about?" Clarke asked relieved Indra had helped her complete her last thought.

"There are a ton of places you guys don't know about yet. This city is huge. We all started moving closer together as there were fewer and fewer of us. It just made sense. She could really be anywhere." He shared.

"Narrow it down a little there, York." Octavia begged. "Give us somewhere to start."

"What do you want from me?" He yelled. "My cousin has been working with the psycho that raised me after murdering my parents and I've been tied up so she could apparently bring in that Ice Queen and together, they plan to take over the whole damn world."

"York, I know this is hard, but please…" Clarke started and reached for his arm. "This is Lexa."

He took a moment to think while everyone in the room stared.

"There's an old paper mill off of Grant and Lee. We used to go there as kids. It hasn't been in use since long before the bombings. We thought it was cool. I went by a few weeks ago. Part of bringing you all here and putting on this show involved checking on the crappy looking places to see if we should do anything to them to make them appear… welcoming… or just leave them alone because it would be a waste." He paused and sighed. "Brooklyn went on the rounds with me as representative of that area. She might have gone there with her. I don't know. It's large enough to hold a few hundred people. It's probably our best shot."

"Thank you." Clarke told him. "Indra, let's go."

Indra followed Clarke as she ran out of the room. Everyone else was close behind with York bringing up the rear until they were outside. Then he ran to the front of the group.

"That way. Three miles. Turn right and go another 6 miles. You'll see it from there." He pointed.

"9 miles? We can't walk that fast enough." Kane stated the obvious.

"Some of us can drive." Clarke pointed at the few cars sitting around. "We can get about 30 of us there and the cars can come back and pick up more"

"There's a bus around the back." It was Indra. "They saw it when they entered the building." She pointed in the direction of a couple of grounders who'd been on the assault.

"It's for the representatives. Emergency use only. Get them out fast." York explained.

"This is an emergency." Clarke expressed. "How many will it fit?"

"Probably about 80. More if everyone squeezes in." He answered.

"Indra, get everyone that can fit on the bus." Clarke ordered.

Indra shouted an order and grounders began running in the direction of the bus.

"Who's driving the thing?" Raven asked.

"York." Clarke told her. "We'll take cars. York, I need you to drive the bus."

"Okay." He agreed. "But Clarke…"

"Yeah?"

"I can't ki-" He stopped. "My cousin… I can't do anything to her… she's blood. Carolina deserved it, but-"

"It's okay. I understand. It won't come to that if we can help it." She consoled. "Please, hurry York."

He nodded and ran off after the group. Clarke divided up everyone else and had them each head to a car. She only prayed they could figure out how to drive them as quickly as she had and within minutes, they were all on the road heading in the direction of the paper mill to find Lexa and stop whatever Brooklyn and the Ice Queen had planned.

When they got close enough to the paper mill, Clarke turned off the engine and every other vehicle stopped with her. She climbed out of the car and waited for the others to do the same.

"What's the play, Clarke?" Raven asked. "We going in strong or what?"

"Indra, you know her better than I do. What will she expect?" Clarke asked as Indra walked up beside her with her hand clutching her sword.

"She will have guards posted at all entrances. Her best warriors will be closet to her side though. She will not let the Commander out of her sight."

"Does she even know we're onto her though? She thinks York is tied up. She doesn't know we know about the plane." Bellamy shared.

"She knows." Clarke announced. "Brooklyn would have told her we were planning on sending for the others today. We would have been to the airfield and seen that the plane was missing." She paused as she stared toward the mill trying to look and listen for movement. The building was a massive, dilapidated looking warehouse. A sizeable part of the roof was missing on the right side. One of the walls on the left looked like it had been torn off.

"Clarke!" Wick was yelling for some reason.

Clarke turned around and saw a large group of the Ice Nation running at them from behind. They had swords out and once they knew they'd been seen, they started their war cries.

"Attack!" Indra yelled and ran to the back, which just became the front of their war.

Clarke pulled out a knife in one hand and held her gun out in the other. They were only about 50 yards away and closing fast as the grounders on her side were running right at them. There were close to 300 of them from what she could tell, which mean there were still some unaccounted for.

"I have to find Lexa!" She yelled over the war cries.  
"We're with you!" Bellamy yelled, gun in hand. Octavia nodded and Lincoln stood beside her ready to go.

Kane and Wick both looked terrified. Raven looked scared, but appeared to be keeping it together a little better than the guys.

"Let's go." Clarke ordered and her small group, guns and swords and other implements in hand headed toward the paper mill. York stood still not knowing whom to follow or if he should run. Eventually, he took off in Clarke's direction.

It took only a few seconds, it seemed to reach the point of no return and when a few guards exited the front of the building and Clarke's gun went off in their direction, she realized she was again at war. The three bodies fell and two more exited the building with their swords drawn. Bellamy's gun went off and took them down before Clarke stopped running. Everyone else fanned out behind her. There was no cover, nowhere to hide. They were sitting ducks if anyone with a gun came out.

"What now?" Bellamy asked.

"Lincoln and Octavia, go around and through that spot there." She pointed at the gap in the wall. "Bell and Kane, take York around the back. Raven and Wick, you're with me." She turned around only for a moment to watch the battle unfold behind her. She couldn't see Indra or anyone she recognized in the mass of swords flying around and bodies falling. They all started to run off. Another guard ran out of the building. Without thinking, she aimed her gun at him and fired. "If you find Lexa, find me!" She yelled after them.

Raven and Wick both had a gun, but Clarke knew they had limited ammo. She really only had a few bullets left. As they stepped over the bodies she just shot, she heard mutterings and sounds of pain. It reminded her of the mountain. It reminded her of her own pain and the other pain she caused, but she had no time to think about that further. She had to find Lexa if Lexa was even still alive. She had to trust that Indra was right and she wouldn't be dead yet. If she stopped believing that, she knew she'd stop fighting all together.

They watched each other's backs as they entered the space. This portion of the mill was obviously for the administration section. There were lines of desks on both sides of them that were covered in debris and dust. The entire place smelled of mold. Clarke wasn't sure how someone could make this their war room with the stench all around them. There were several doors on both sides and a couple in the back. As she turned to look at first door on the left, she heard the sound of gunfire and turned back to her right. Raven had just shot 2 members of the Ice Nation who'd opened the door.

Clarke looked at her. She was breathing hard, obviously in shock. Clarke wasn't sure she'd seen Raven actually kill anyone before. She'd made things and had ideas, but to actually shoot them directly only a few feet away was another thing.

"Raven, come on." Clarke encouraged. Wick put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her forward. She was strong and snapped out of it quickly. Another guard makes his way through a different door. Wick was there though and he pushed the guard back through the door and slammed it shut.

"Raven, help me!" He yelled. Raven moved over and helped him push a desk in the way of the door.

Clarke made her way down the rows of desks and tried to figure out which door to try first knowing that guards are probably inside each room. She thought of Finn in that moment. She knew she only had a few bullets left, which meant she might have to stab someone with her knife. The last time she'd done that had been to spare him pain.

"Clarke!" Raven snapped her out of it. "Through here." Raven had a door opened. Clarke rushed over to her. The door opened to reveal a small hallway and more doors. "This place is like a damn labyrinth. Should we go in?"

"You two go. Check the rooms. I'm going this way." Clarke told Raven.

"You shouldn't go alone, Clarke." Wick told her.

"I'll be okay." She confirmed and left them to walk the hall and check each room.

Clarke waited on more attackers, but none came as she walked down the aisle toward the back of the long room and the back doors. She wasn't sure how the other groups were fairing or even how the fight outside was going. She could hear the clanging of metal and screaming, but she blocked it out as she got closer to the back doors. She opened one of the two doors using her free hand to hold out her gun. It war promptly knocked out of her hand by someone unseen until four arms grabbed her and yanked her into the room.

"Clarke!" It was Lexa's voice.

Clarke's first feeling was relief. That was followed immediately by fear. Her hands were being held together behind her back by a smelly, oversized man. She looked ahead and saw Lincoln and Octavia being held the same way by other men. Brooklyn was standing between them. The Ice Queen was standing behind Lexa holding a knife to her throat. Clarke looked at Lexa's face. The fear she read in her eyes wasn't for herself. Clarke could tell. She was worried about her. She feared for Clarke. Clarke saw a streak of blood from the spot on the neck where the knife was being held. She could tell it was being pressed into her skin just enough to make it bleed.

"It's about time." Brooklyn said in Clarke's direction.

"Are you okay?" Clarke asked Lexa not paying any attention to Brooklyn.

"I'm okay. You?" Lexa questioned and the knife scraped skin. Clarke saw her face register the pain and she lunged forward, but the guards held her back.

"Octavia?" Clarke asked.

"We're good." She responded looking at Lincoln who nodded angrily.

Bellamy and Kane were pushed through a door on the left. The person pushing them emerged right behind holding both of their weapons in his hand. The door slammed shut behind him. He looked over at Clarke and smiled wickedly.

"York?"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

"Had you going, didn't I?"

"What's going on?" Clarke asked.

"He's a great actor. We used to put on plays in town. He was always the male lead." Brooklyn shared.

"He's working with them, Clarke." Lexa risked as the Ice Queen continued to hold the knife to her neck. "He's been on their side the entire time."

"But you killed Carolina." Clarke realized.

"Yeah, because she was a controlling bitch." He announced. "That woman has been trying to run my life since she killed my parents."

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew. Brooklyn told me years ago. I just put up with Carolina until I didn't need too anymore. Then, I took care of her." He answered.

"And for the record, we did give you guys a chance to join us before we called in these guys." Brooklyn referenced the Ice Nation. "When it was clear you wouldn't cooperate and you thought you could just take over running this place, we knew we needed to act. That radio York slipped to this one over here when we met at the capital paid off big time." She nodded her head toward the Ice Queen.

"We were more than willing to help." It was the Ice Queen. She removed the knife from Lexa's neck and took a step in front of her so Clarke could no longer see her face. "Your Commander here thinks that she can run this alliance and we will all fall into place. She thinks I will take her orders when I am a Queen with an entire nation of people behind me." She paused. "She is wrong."

"What did Brooklyn promise you?" Clarke asked.

"The run of the city. Once we've taken care of your warriors outside, no more will arrive. This place will belong to us." She detailed.

Clarke shook her head and laughed.

"You're her army. Nothing more. She needed you to get rid of us, but that's it."

"Nice theory, Clarke, but we'll make sure they're taken care of. You don't need to worry about it anyway." York shared. "You won't be around long enough."

"Part of the deal I made was to kill you in front of Lexa." The Ice Queen shared. "Just to kill her would have been enough, but to kill you in front of her will be so much sweeter. When I took Costia, it was almost a tragedy Lexa had to miss out on what I did to her. This time, she'll have a perfect view." The Ice Queen moved toward Clarke. Clarke could see Lexa shifting in her chair. She'd never seen her look so angry. Bellamy tried to free himself, but was unable. Lincoln and Octavia, Clarke could see, were doing the same. She stood still and waited for the woman to approach. She felt the knife gently touch through her shirt near her belly button. It was dragged up slowly toward her neck while the woman smiled at her. The knife stopped at the base of her neck. Clarke gulped.

"How long have you been waiting to do this?" Clarke asked her.

"Since the moment I met you, Sky Girl."

"It won't change anything." Clarke started. "She'll never choose you. You'll never be by her side… to rule…" She paused and smirked. "In any other way… It will never be you."

"Lexa doesn't matter anymore. After I kill you, I'm going to hang onto her for a while. I thought about killing her right after, but I want to watch her suffer this time. I want to see how losing you at my hand breaks her." She took in a triumphant breath. "And then I'll kill her."

The Queen lunged forward. The knife somehow only nicked Clarke. It fell from her hand as she fell into Clarke temporarily. The two guards holding Clarke released her to try to catch their Queen from falling. When they did, Clarke took a step back and let her fall all the way until they were at her side. Her back had a knife sticking out of it. Clarke looked straight ahead at Lexa, who was standing. She'd gotten herself out of her binds, but her hands looked bloodied. It took a second for everyone to figure out what had happened. By then, Clarke had dropped to the floor and grabbed her gun. Lexa had moved to Brooklyn and knocked her aside to grab her sword, which had been resting against a table. She held it to one of the guards. He let go of Bellamy and Bellamy took his gun back. It was like a game of dominos. One action, the knife in the Queen's back led to every other one. The shift in the room took only a minute, but when it was done, Clarke and Lexa were back in control, the Ice Queen was in pain on the floor and Brooklyn and York were both white as sheets. Clearly, they never thought they'd lose this battle today.

The Queen started to stand with the help of her guards. The knife had hit her shoulder, but it wasn't enough to kill her. Clarke suspected that when Lexa threw it, she'd meant it to go down like this.  
"Glacia, you will die for this." Lexa told the room while staring at the Ice Queen. It was then that Clarke realized she'd never gotten her name before. "You will pay for this betrayal with your life."

"We both desire power, Lexa. What is wrong with that?" The knife was pulled out of her shoulder by one of the guards. She winced, but tried to hide it.

"I desire no more power than is necessary to protect my people. You have betrayed not only the other clans in the alliance, but your own people who are suffering at your hand outside and in the capital."

"No one is suffering in the ca-"

"They will be." Lexa pointed out as she walked toward her. Her eyes met Clarke's. She reached for her breastbone and touched her hand gently to the tattoo on her skin and Clarke understood her meaning as she approached Glacia. "Your people will die quickly. I cannot say the same for you. That cut will only be the first of many." She held her sword to the woman's neck. Glacia looked as indignant as ever, but with a hint of fear behind her eyes. Clarke thought about saying something about making Glacia suffer to Lexa, but for one, she made a deal that she wouldn't go against her in front of others and two, she really did want this woman to suffer. She leaned against the first reason for support for feeling the second reason. Her third reason may have been the most important. If Glacia lived, they would never be safe and if Lexa didn't follow the traditions of her people right now, they risked the entire alliance crumbling. "Lincoln, take her to the jail. Offer her no medical aid." She ordered.

"I'll go with him." Octavia stated.

Lincoln and Octavia took Glacia and pushed her out of the room while everyone else kept their eyes on her guards.

"Bellamy, can you-" Clarke started.

"I got it." He knew what she meant. He held his gun in the direction of the guards nearest Clarke. Kane followed suit and they ushered the guards behind Lincoln and Octavia and would lock them all up.

"Be careful out there. We don't know what's going on with-" Clarke started. Before she could finish Indra rushed through the door with blood on her face and armor and her sword high in the air. Her breathing was fast. "Indra, how-"

"We were victorious!" She shared. "Commander, it is good to see you." She said the moment she saw Lexa. Emotion rang through her face. It was clear she cared deeply for her Commander. "We lost men, but not as many as they did. The survivors from the Ice Nation will be executed by your orders."

"Follow the others with them. We will lock them up tonight. We'll prepare for executions."

"What's going on?" Raven asked when she entered with Wick from another door on the side.

"York and-" Clarke started to explain, but looked around and York and Brooklyn were no longer in the room. "What the hell?" She asked and then saw the opened back door. Just as she made it to the doorway, she heard their engine start and watched as they drove away.

"I repeat." Raven started. "What's going on?" She stared out the door along with Clarke.

"Long story." Clarke offered. "I'll fill you in later."

She turned and saw Lexa standing in front of her with sword sheathed and that blood congealed around her neck from the knife. Clarke felt like she could finally breathe again as she walked toward the woman she loved. She wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her in. Lexa held onto her waist tightly and they breathed each other in.

"Are you really okay?" Clarke asked her.

"I am now." She replied.  
"We'll get someone to look at that cut." She told her and pulled back to take a closer look at it. She ran her fingers across it and noticed it wasn't that deep, but she knew an infection was possible so if Lexa argued, she'd insist she see the healer.

"Okay. What are we going to do about Brooklyn and York?" She asked.

"They're on the run right now. We've got time to figure out our next move." Clarke replied. "Let's just get out of here."

Lexa nodded.

"Still waiting on an explanation here." Raven reminded.

Clarke started to fill them in as they walked outside toward what remained of the battle. The Ice Nation battle survivors were being picked up and pushed into the bus by the victors. There seemed to be very few left compared to the number that had arrived. Of course, that number could have been exaggerated. Clarke didn't know what to believe anymore. They'd be taken somewhere though. Indra would see to it that they would remain locked up until their punishments could be dolled out.

Lexa's hand slipped into Clarke's. She watched as the blonde's eyes took in the carnage. She squeezed her hand tightly. Clarke's thoughts returned to the mountain, to the battle before, to Lexa leaving her, to her father being executed, to her mother putting her on the ship to Earth, to every other memory all within a few seconds.

"It's okay." Lexa whispered into her ear. "We will put this behind us soon enough." She encouraged.

Several grounders nodded or bowed to Lexa as they passed by to get to a free car to drive back to the house. Wick got behind the wheel with Raven sitting next to him. Lexa and Clarke took the back seat. For the first few minutes, Clarke stared out the window as the city passed them by. It took a touch on her neck to turn her attention back toward Lexa. They exchanged no words, but their eyes understood the meaning. The fear had lessened, but would always be omnipresent for them both, the anger at York for his betrayal and Brooklyn and Glacia for the same, the joy at seeing one another again after fearing for the worst, everything was conveyed in a glance.

"Oh God, just kiss her already!" Raven had been watching in the rear view mirror.

Clarke laughed and Lexa smiled coyly. She rested her forehead against Clarke's and took a deep breath.

"Ai sonraun laik yu sonraun." _My life is your life._ "If something would have happened to you-" Clarke started to breathe fast.

"I know." Lexa interrupted. "We're alright. We're here." She gently pressed her lips to Clarke's. It was tentative. It was more about calming the girl in front of her down than a display of affection. "The alliance will be maintained. I will return to the capital and lead the charge against the Ice Nation and-"

"What?" Clarke pulled back. "You're leaving?"

"I must complete what we've started."

"Send someone else." Clarke told her.

"It doesn't work like that and you know it."

"Hey, we're here. You two wanna move this fight inside?" Wick asked.

The moment they were parked, Clarke jumped out of the car. She needed to breathe fresh air. She walked quickly for a few paces before stopping and putting her hands on the back of her head.

"Clarke, stop." Lexa ordered.

"We're just going to…" Raven faded and pointed toward the car. "Go help the others with the prisoners. Maybe try to put together a search for York and Brooklyn." She received no response from the girls staring at one another. "Yeah, okay. Sounds good, Raven. Don't work too hard or anything." She climbed back in the car and Wick drove off slowly at first. He had an issue getting out of reverse and into drive and then they were gone.

"We haven't even finished this battle and you're onto the next one." Clarke expressed. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I didn't ask for this, Clarke."

"Yeah, I know. You were born for it." She expressed heatedly.

"That's not what I was talking about." Lexa offered and took a step forward. "I meant this battle." She paused and sat on the curb facing the street with Clarke still standing behind her with her hands placed on her hips in frustration. "I wanted this with you, Clarke. I wanted this place. I wanted no more war."

"Then-"

"Do you know how hard that is for someone like me?"

"To not want war?" Clarke was confused.

"To want peace and happiness? To think of myself over my people? I was trained for war. My entire life has been about war. Victory. Tradition. Alliances. Battle. Blood. That is what I was bred for." She turned around and motioned to the giant house behind them. "Not this."

"Did I force this on you?"

"No, but I am a warrior, Clarke. When a battle comes, I must fight. It is who I am." She paused and looked back out at the street noticing a crack in the pavement. "I love you. You almost died today because of that."

"I almost died today because of Brooklyn and York and Glacia thinking they should rule this place. They wanted power and they wanted to kill us to get us. I almost died today because they took you and I had to find you and I would have killed anyone I had to in order to-"

Clarke moved to sit down next to her on the curb.

"Passion." Lexa stated.

"What?"

"There's your passion, your fire. You didn't choose this battle either, but you fought it. We will both fight until it's over. It is who we are. We must stop pretending otherwise. It's dangerous. We let our guards down and look what happened."

"What did happen?" Clarke asked her wanting a moment away from their previous conversation.

"I stood outside for only a second when I felt something hit my neck. I passed out and woke up where you found me, tied to a chair." She started and then touched the puncture point on her neck. "They shot me with a poisoned dart. I fell asleep, but only momentarily. When I noticed they'd used rope to tie me up, I waited until they weren't looking and started working the ropes to untie myself. I wasn't left alone long enough to make any real progress until all attention was on you."

"That's how you freed yourself?" She looked down at Lexa's wrist, still slightly wet and red with blood and burn marks.

"The knife was on the floor." She explained. She reached out for Clarke's face and touched it gently. "I must go to the capital. I must meet with the other leaders and discuss the actions we must take against the Ice Nation."

"You can't kill them all, Lexa." Clarke shared. "It's not their fault."

"We will explore other possibilities, but they are no longer a part of the alliance. That is a necessity. I can take the survivors of the battle with me and get them far from here."

"You don't want to kill them?"

"Not the soldiers. Just Glacia. They were following her orders as my people would have followed mine. I will take them to the capital and have them disperse to their lands."

Clarke nodded and put her hand over Lexa's.

"My mom and the others should be arriving soon. You can head back on their plane. I'll stay here and figure out what we're going to do about York and Brooklyn."

"I will leave tomorrow then." Lexa supplied.

"I just got you back." Clarke said. Her head rested on Lexa's shoulder. "Do you really have to leave so soon?"

"I will never really leave you, Clarke." She took her hand and together, they stood and walked back into the house they shared.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Clarke sat facing Lexa in the bathtub and used a sponge to wipe the blood gently from her neck, revealing the gash beneath. Lexa stared at her. Neither spoke, wishing they could read the other's mind. Lexa's hand went to Clarke's cheek. She caressed it and Clarke met her eye.

"You killed today." Lexa told her. Clarke didn't respond or nod. She just returned the stare. "Tell me how it felt." It was a gentle statement from someone who loved her, not an order from a commander.

"It didn't." Clarke responded and dropped the sponge into the water. "It didn't feel like anything. I didn't feel. I just did it."

"Why?"

Clarke looked at her like she was being stupid.

"Because you were inside, Lexa. Because I love you. Because I had too."

Lexa looked at the girl in front of her. She saw the scratches on her skin from battles past and the reflection of herself in Clarke's eyes due to the bright light in the room.

"Love is strength."

"Killing people isn't about strength." Clarke went to lean back in the tub, but Lexa pulled her into her instead. The bathtub was wide and Lexa motioned for Clarke to turn around. It took a moment, but Clarke rested her back against Lexa's front. Lexa wrapped her arms around her and held her close. She felt Clarke breathe deeply against her.

"Maybe not, but it is what we must do to protect the ones we love." She pressed lips to Clarke's shoulder.

"I don't want to kill anymore, Lexa." Clarke's eyes closed as she breathed in the scent of the soap.

"We say ron ai ridiyo op. Do you know what that means?"

"I've heard you say it before, but no." Clarke admitted.

"In our words, it means speak true. It means be honest, but also it is interchangeable with the word your people say. Promise."

"Okay." Clarke was unsure about what Lexa was trying to say.

"I wanted you to know that I understand what I am about to say."

Clarke tried to turn in her arms, but Lexa held her in place.

"I can never give up my command…" She kissed Clarke's shoulder again. "I know you would never ask me to do that as I would never ask you to give up your own." She took a deep breath. "But after I return from the capital and we put this new war to rest, I will hand over the direction of the army to Indra. I will rule from my throne; not from the battlefield."

This time Clarke did turn around to face her and the water sloshed quickly and over the edge of the tub.

"You'd hate me if you had to give that up for me." Clarke reminded her.

Lexa thought for a moment and then leaned forward. She pecked Clarke's lips and then stood up. She took a step out of the tub and without drying off, started out of the bathroom.

"It's not for you, Clarke of the Sky People." She looked over her shoulder. "It's for me."

Clarke watched her walk out of the room. She remained in the bath for a few more moments before finally rising, drying herself off and walking into the bedroom to see Lexa lying there.

"You really want this? You really want to stop fighting?" Clarke asked her.

"I don't want to stop fighting, Clarke. I will always fight for my peop-" She stopped herself. "For _our_ people. I realized today that Indra is capable of leading my warriors into battle and winning without my command." She paused and took Clarke's hand gently while pulling the blonde toward her. "I also realized something else."

Clarke straddled her.

"What?"

"When I saw you there with Glacia standing between us, I knew I could never lose you like that. I could never watch you die in battle or at the hand of an enemy. It would break me into parts that once shattered, could never be pieced back together again." Lexa looked up at Clarke. "I saw your face when I sat there with the knife to my throat. You felt the same way."

"Yes, I did."

"I can't put you through that just like I cannot go through it myself. If I can prevent it, I will put my sword away for good."

Clarke leaned down and touched her thumb and forefinger to Lexa's lower lip, pulling it down as she did and kissing her. It was slow and deliberate at first until she needed more. They were both already naked and the feeling of Lexa's body against hers' was too much to resist after the day they'd had. The kiss turned heated as Lexa's hands dragged down Clarke's back and Clarke moved to lay them down, placing herself on top of Lexa. It was only a short time ago that the thought of them doing this again seemed impossible. Lexa's death at Glacia's hands seemed inevitable and Clarke would yet again be on her own in her pain except with no one to find accidentally on purpose as she had done with Lexa in the capital so many moons ago at this point. She decided to take her time since it appeared they had it and with each gentle touch, soft kiss and skin graze, those thoughts of losing her drifted further and further away. It took a long time before she even touched Lexa in a place that would grant her any kind of real release, but Lexa wasn't complaining. When Clarke's fingers finally starting working, Lexa took little time to arch her back off the bed and relax again moments later. She was almost silent. Her breathing began to slow as Clarke leaned in to kiss her deeply this time.

Lexa too took her time with Clarke, wanting to enjoy every touch knowing she'd be leaving the following night for an unknown amount of time and recalling she almost lost the girl now underneath her. In the moment Clarke finally came, Lexa felt raw emotion. She felt more than she'd ever felt before and not just for a person. Lexa had never felt this many feelings all at once about anything. In that moment, she knew she'd made the right decision. Clarke was worth giving up the battles and the war.

They held each other for a long time, but no matter how long they embraced, it would never be enough.

They dressed and went downstairs to meet the others. They'd heard people walk in and the talking had started before they entered the living room.

"Remind me to lock the door from now on." Clarke joked.

Raven, Wick, Octavia, Lincoln, Kane and Bellamy stood in the living room discussing what had happened.

"I'm telling you, it's our best chance." Raven insisted.

"What's our best chance?" Clarke asked. She and Lexa sat in an over sized chair together.

"To find Brooklyn and that traitor, York." Raven replied. "That idiot took one of the cars we'd driven."

"So?" Lexa asked.

"So, I had a radio in it. Short wave, but it was on. We have a small window, but if Wick and I can put something together, we might be able to track it."

"We'd need to build the tracker, Raven. That radio has maybe 8 hours of life left in it and that's if they've even left it on. If they've found it, I'm sure they turned it off already and we'd be killing ourselves building something for nothing. We probably can't even finish it in time anyway." Wick explained.

"Maybe we don't need to track it." Clarke offered. "Where was the radio in the car?"

"In the backseat. Why?"

"They might not know we know it's there." Clarke proposed. "If they don't, maybe we can use it."

"What? Set a trap?" Bellamy asked.

"It's worth a shot." Clarke declared. "Wick and Raven, you guys should build the tracker. Even if it's too late, we have to try."

"Great, I guess I should start scavenging." Wick sounded disgruntled.

"Oh shut up, Wick. You get to scavenge with me. You should be rejoicing." Raven added. The two of them walked out of the house.

"Kane, it should be you." Clarke said and looked over at him. He looked tired.

"What should be me?"

"We'll figure out what, but you should be the one to speak into the radio to draw them out."

"Why me?" He asked.

"Because if it was Lexa or I, they'd expect us not to be so-" She stopped herself.

"Stupid?" He questioned with a chuckle.

"Well, yeah, but I don't think you're stupid. You're just the one of us that's less…"

"Battle tested." Octavia finished for her. "You'd be the one who'd forget about something like radio silence because you've never really been through this before."

"Fine. What will I say?"

"I need to figure out what they'd want." Clarke started. "They know we'll have more people here soon. They know this city belongs to us now. They wouldn't try to overtake it without the Ice Nation's army. They don't have the numbers. Even the survivors of the Ice Nation today aren't worth them breaking out of jail. There were so few of them."

"What do they want then?" Lexa asked her.

Clarke stood.

"I honestly don't know." She shared.

"Shelter." Lincoln proclaimed. "They'd want what we'd all want after losing a battle. Shelter. Food. Time."

"Time?" Octavia asked him.

"Time to regroup, plan their next move or plan to flee."

"Food." Clarke stated out loud. Everyone stared at her.

"They'd need supplies." Bellamy added. "No matter what their plan is, they'd need supplies."

"Unless they already have them somewhere… a stockpile for a situation like this." Lexa shared and stood up next to Clarke.

"I don't think they planned for a situation like this." Clarke stated confidently. "Their egos are too big."

"You got that right." Bellamy exclaimed. "If they're looking for supplies, I know where they'll go."

"Market Building?" Lincoln questioned.

"Yeah." Bellamy agreed. "It's where the rations were stored. Each person would go once a week to pick up their allotment of goods. We stationed guards there after we took the city. They've still been handing out rations to the people we let go though. It's protected, but-"

"We can unprotect it." Clarke finished.

"Yeah."

"You want to leave it unprotected?" Octavia asked.

"No, she wants to tell them we're leaving it unprotected." Lexa shared Clarke's idea.

"We'll tell them we're having a city-wide meeting in the representative's building. We'll say we're postponing the rest of the arrivals after the initial group arrives until after we've all met. We'll give them a time and we'll make it appear as if the market is unguarded." Clarke explained her plan.  
"And what if they don't come?" Kane asked. "We can't leave them out there forever. If they do happen to find other fanatics out there, they might return and-"

"If this doesn't work, we'll think of something else. The tracker maybe or… something else. We'll send search parties out if we need too once more people arrive." Clarke expressed. "They won't be free for long." She paused. "Remember, they're not used to surviving like we are. They're used to living." She looked at Lexa. "They've had a place where they could go and pick up their food and other supplies. They haven't had to work for it. We're survivors. We'll do anything to protect our people and make it through."

"I'll get on the radio." Kane said. "Who should I be talking too?"

"Me." Bellamy stated. "I'll even throw in a 'what the hell are you doing on the radio' thing just for dramatic effect."

"Don't over do it, brother." Octavia let out a small smile.

"What time?"

"Say tomorrow before the executions. We're going to meet and have short trials of the ones working with Glacia and then she'll be executed."

"I'm on it." Kane stated sounding somewhat reluctant. He walked toward the kitchen where the radio was located. Bellamy followed.

"It's a good plan, Clarke." Octavia shared.

"I'm going to walk the perimeter just in case." Lincoln updated as he walked out of the house. Clarke looked over at Octavia. Her eyes were following Lincoln.  
"How are you two doing?" Clarke asked her. "I haven't had time to ask."

"We're fine. Why?"

"It's just been crazy since we got here and the doctor said Lincoln couldn't-"

"Have kids?" Octavia finished for her.

Clarke hesitated.

"Yeah."

"I don't want kids." Octavia stated directly.

"Maybe not today, but-"

"Clarke, I appreciate you worrying about me, but trust me, I'm really okay with us not being able to have kids." She paused. "We're both warriors. I'm Indra's 2nd. I've found my place. Lincoln and I will be fine on our own."

Clarke nodded.

"Okay."

"I'm going to find Indra. See if I can help." Octavia shared. Lexa nodded in agreement. Octavia left.

"Do you ever think about children?" Lexa asked her now that they were alone in the room.

"Huh?" Clarke asked a little stumped.

"For you. I cannot provide you with-"  
"Lexa, I don't care about that." She reached out and took her hand. "I've never wanted kids. On the ark, each child was seen more as a drain on resources than anything and down here… I just don't think I want to bring someone else into this." She looked into Lexa's eyes. "Do _you_ want kids?"

"It is a Commander's responsibility to attempt to carry their genes through to a new generation."

Clarke's eyes widened.

"I didn't know that." Clarke replied. "Also, you didn't technically answer my question."

"I've never allowed myself to think about the possibility. I've known about my attraction toward women for a long time so having a child has always been an impossibility for me." She paused and took a deep breath while Clarke pushed the hair out of her face. "I guess if I was being honest with myself though, the idea of raising a child isn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities."

"You'd want _us_ to have a kid somehow?"

"Not today." Lexa answered. "Not in the near future, but maybe someday when all of this is behind us, you will see the world differently and there will be children around that need homes." Lexa said. Clarke looked at her in confusion for a moment. "You were the one who told me we should look beyond merely surviving our circumstances, but look to the lives we desire for ourselves and others."

Clarke smiled at her again recalling that moment right before their first kiss. That memory used to bring up a lot of other bad memories, but the bad were beginning to fade leaving behind only the feeling of Lexa's lips pressed against her own and the touch of the soft hand on her cheek.

"Maybe we can talk about kids later." Clarke said with a small smile, giving Lexa the indication that they weren't off limits, but Clarke wasn't ready to have this conversation. "Like a long time from now."

There was a sound of a clearing throat behind them and Clarke turned to see her mother standing there holding onto several bags.  
"Mom?"

"Please don't tell me you two are talking about kids. You _are_ kids." Abby stated with exasperation in her tone.

"No, we're not." Clarke stated while connecting with Lexa's eyes. She seemed to understand. "I'm glad you're here." Clarke walked over to her mother and they exchanged one of those somewhat awkward hugs one encounters when they're really an adult, but their parent may not fully see them that way yet. "How did you get here?" She pulled out of the hug.

"The pilot drove some of us over. He went back to the airfield for the rest, but Clarke, where was the other plane? What's going on?"

"We've got a lot to talk about?" Clarke told her.

The three of them discussed the events of the day. The whole thing had taken Abby aback. Lincoln returned from his patrol and offered to drop the recent ark transplants off into houses nearby so they could at least attempt to get settled. Bellamy and Kane left the house to return to their own after delivering the message on the radio to hopefully convince York and Brooklyn to go to the market for supplies.

"So, what happens if they don't show?" Abby asked.

"Winter is coming. It's already getting colder. They'll need supplies. We've had guards on their homes and most of the major city buildings. Unless they had supplies at the ready for an event like this, it's likely they'll show." Clarke filled in.

"We should just go back, Clarke. Take the planes… all of them. Get everyone back to the camp or the capital… somewhere safe." Abby implored from her seated position on the sofa.

"Brooklyn and York do not have the support they need without the Azgeda." Lexa explained.

"The what?" Abby asked.

"Ice Nation. They convinced Glacia to help them take over the city from Carolina. They told her she'd rule with them or something like that. It wasn't true. They would have killed her as soon as they could."

"But why? Why invite us here just to try to force us to reproduce? They could have gone about it a thousand other ways." Abby thought.

"I think they figured that we would just fall in line. They viewed the grounders as less than human." Clarke explained and Lexa cleared her throat. "Maybe they thought the ark people could help get them in line. I don't know. They wanted people here to make more people. I do know that. They need people to keep this place running. The plant, the dam, the market, the hospital… everything here needs bodies to keep it going. The fewer the people, the harder their lives became."

"They will show at the market and we will capture them and execute them just as we will do with Glacia and any other traitors." Lexa stated.

"We can't just-" Abby started, but stopped herself. "Is that really the best idea?"

"We have no other choice. The others must know what happens to people who betray the coalition."

"What if-"

"Mom." Clarke shook her head sideways. "Lexa's right. I don't like it anymore than you do, but Glacia has to go and if we just send her away, she could always find a new army. If we lock her up, someone might get the idea to release her."

"How many injuries?" Abby changed the subject. "From the battle today?"

"I don't know. Some. The healers that are here are at the hospital." Clarke told her.

"I should go there too. See what I can do." Abby stood. "Where am I staying?" She looked toward the stairs. She apparently thought she'd be staying with them.

"Take your pick. Almost any house is free on this street." Clarke expressed. "We have some food here you can take with you for later or you can pick something up at the market. We're still using their ration system for now."

"I'm not staying here?"

"You'd rather stay here with us instead of having a whole house to yourself?" Clarke asked her. Clarke asked. Abby looked back and forth between Clarke and Lexa. "Mom, what is it?"

"You two are by yourselves here."

"Yes, we are." Clarke stated.

"It's just hard, Clarke." Abby sighed. "You're my baby."

"I'm not-"

"I know. I know. It's just no matter how old you get, you'll always be my little girl and now you're leading an entire civilization alongside a woman who is also your girlfriend or your fiancé technically and you're living together and I heard you mention kids when I walked in." She paused and breathed again. "It's just a lot to get used too."

"It is for me too." Clarke shared with a giggle. "You can stay here if you want too." Clarke offered.

"No, I should find my own place. I've got to get used to this somehow." She picked up her bag. "I'll pick a house and head to the hospital to check on the patients."

"I'll assign two of my guards to you full-time." Lexa declared. "At least until we find Brooklyn and York and execute them."

"That's not necessary."

"You are Clarke's mother. They know that. They used me to get to her and her to get to me. They will not hesitate to use you. Please, take the guards." Lexa paused and looked at Clarke. "I couldn't stand it if Clarke was in pain because something happened to you. Please." She repeated. Abby appeared to be genuinely touched.

"Okay."

Abby left with the guards as agreed leaving Clarke and Lexa alone. Neither of them said anything for several minutes. There was an awkwardness in the room left behind by Abby and her realization regarding how grown up Clarke had gotten recently.

"So, can we not talk about anything serious for a while?" Clarke asked Lexa who was actually staring out the window watching other arrivals from Jaha walk aimlessly around the neighborhood searching for an empty house to occupy. She turned around with a smile.

"Too much for you?" Lexa joked.

"Too much for both of us." Clarke stated directly. She took a deep breath. "It's just a lot, Lexa."

"What is?" Lexa asked, a little confused. Clarke's mood seemed to have shifted.

"We've just been moving at 100 miles an hour since I first arrived at the capital. We went from enemies to something like friends to something almost more before the battle at Mount Weather and then we went back to being enemies again and-"

"You forgave me for leaving you." Lexa interrupted, a little defensive.

"Yes, I did." Clarke acknowledged. "I understood why you did it and we became something more almost immediately after and then there's this…" Clarke touched the tattoo on her chest.

"You wish not to be bonded to me?" Lexa questioned, letting the hurt into her tone.

"What? No. That's not what I'm saying."

"It sounds like it."

Clarke took a step toward her while Lexa took one back.

"Lexa, I love you." Clarke told her. "I love you more than I've loved anyone or anything." She tried taking another step. This time Lexa didn't move. "But you have to admit… it did all happen so fast."

"That's how this world works, Clarke. You have to act quickly because tomorrow-" She stopped herself. "Tomorrow you might be dead." She finished and took in the look in Clarke's eyes.

"I needed you, Lexa." She shared. "To get me through what happened at the mountain, to help me with the nightmares." She took another breath. "To prove to me that I was right about you… That I was right to trust you and care about you." She paused. "And fall in love with you."

"And now?" Lexa gulped.

Clarke reached for her face and put her hands on both sides of it, holding her gently in place.

"I still want everything with you."

Lexa let out a breath she'd been holding and looked at the floor for a moment to regain her composure before looking back into Clarke's eyes.

"Then why are we talking about this?" She asked, still concerned.

"Because I think I also need to know that I can get past things on my own." Clarke admitted. Lexa pulled her body back.

"Chit yu gaf?" _What do you want?_ She asked Clarke.

"You." Clarke replied quickly. "But I need some time alone. I need to know I can be by myself without you. I need to know I can get through this on my own."

"Your nightmares have stopped." Lexa reminded her.

"They're still there every now and then. I just hide them from you."

"Why?" Lexa took her hand.

"Because you're so strong, Lex. You've been through so much more than I have and yet you're fine. You can fall asleep and not always see the dead bodies that fell at your hands."

"I have nightmares too, Clarke. Maybe not as frequently, but they happen."

"I need to know I can get past all of this." Clarke took her other hand. "When you come back from the capital and we've finished this war, you're putting away your sword."

"Yes, I told you I would." Lexa confirmed.

"I want to be ready for that life with you. I want to move past the war inside me so we can be together in peace."

Lexa let go of Clarke's hands and reached out to touch the tattoo Clarke had so recently grazed her own fingers across.

"I want this." She stopped her hand and covered the tattoo. "This is all I want." She met Clarke's eyes again. "You're mine, Clarke and I am yours'. We belong to each other."

"And I don't want to change that." Clarke explained. "I just think that some time a part will be good for us. You can handle everything you need to at the capital and I can handle things here."

"You didn't want me to go to the capital earlier."

"Because I don't want anything to happen to you." Clarke expressed. "Because I love you and there are people there who might try to kill you." She put her hand over Lexa's. "I still don't really want you to go, but I know you need too. I just wish it was for another reason or the circumstances were different."

Lexa pulled herself away and crossed her arms over her chest. It wasn't a defensive posture. It was a vulnerable one.

"I will send someone to pack my things." Lexa told her.

"What?"

"I will stay somewhere else tonight and leave for the capital as we discussed tomorrow after the capture of York and Brooklyn."

"I don't want you to-" Clarke tried to interject.

"But we must remain united tomorrow in front of everyone. No one must know-"

"Lexa, stop. I don't want you to stay somewhere else tonight. I just-"

"You said what you needed, Clarke. Now, you must hear what I need." Lexa interrupted.

Clarke took a deep breath.

"Okay."

"I cannot spend my last night here with you knowing how you feel. Tomorrow, we will do as we must and then I will leave." She stated, less than confidently and her eyes began welling up with tears. "When I am gone, I do not wish for us to speak unless it is necessary for the cause. I will instruct Indra to handle much of the communication."

"Wait-"

"If I return, we-"

"What do you mean _if_ you return?" Clarke's eyes were also gleaming with tears. "Lexa, I love you. Don't do this. Don't pull away like this. I just wanted some time to myself to wrap my brain around everything that's happened, but I don't want to…" Clarke faded as tears began to fall. "I can't lose you."

Lexa wiped a tear from her face and then sniffled as if to hold all others back.

"Ai hod yu in." She replied. "So, I will give you what you ask, but I cannot make any guarantees that I will be able to return just as you cannot make any promises that you will be ready if I do."

"I am. I'm ready." Clarke wiped tears away and started pleading. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. My mom just made me- She has a way of making me feel like a child even when she doesn't mean it and I second guess myself, but-"

"You were right to tell me." Lexa stopped her. "I must go."

"What? No. Wait!" Clarke tried to pull on Lexa's arm as she hastily made her way toward the front door, but Lexa pulled away and opened the door. She walked through it and slammed it behind her.

Clarke had her hand on the knob; ready to turn it… to open it… to tell Lexa she was wrong to act like this. Clarke's request was only time to herself to deal with the things that had happened, but Lexa made it seem as if she didn't want to be with her and that couldn't have been more wrong. She almost turned it, but she didn't. Instead, she stood staring at the door for a very long time until she finally turned around, pressed her back against it and her body fell to the ground as her hands covered her face while she cried.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

"Where is she?" Clarke asked the female grounder Lexa had sent to pack her things.  
"I have been instructed by the Commander to not disclose her location to anyone." The woman replied.

"I am not anyone." Clarke was growing frustrated as she watched the woman walk around her bedroom packing the few items Lexa possessed. "I'm her-" Clarke stopped herself. Her eyes were puffy from crying out all of her emotions, but her brain registered what she was about to say and stopped to correct it. "I'm her wife. We are bonded." She knew that wasn't true. She knew they hadn't technically completed the process yet according to the tradition, but the others all believed they had so she needed to keep up appearances.

"The Commander instructed me only to gather her things and return." The woman had finished packing. She tossed the bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door Clarke was standing in front of.

"At least tell me if she's okay." Clarke implored.

"The Commander is safe." The woman obliged.

Clarke stood still for a moment before relenting and moving so the woman could leave the room and walk down the stairs. She thought about following her to find out where Lexa was staying, but she had to remind herself that Lexa asked her to leave her alone tonight. Maybe after they'd each slept on the events of the day, they'd be able to talk again and repair what had been broken. She felt so stupid, so selfish for what she'd said, for making Lexa think she didn't want her or just wanted to be away from her. That wasn't it at all, but she had no experience having these kinds of conversations with people. She didn't know how to tell someone she needed to make sure she was able to give herself over to being happy, to the peace that would come after war without holding onto all the bad from the past. She thought the time apart would do them some good. Lexa was already planning on leaving anyway and what Abby had said had made her realize how quickly this had all come about.

Her head hit the pillow and she forced her eyes closed, but sleep did not come. She tossed and turned in the empty bed, reaching over to Lexa's side envisioning her there. She pulled Lexa's pillow to her face and breathed in her scent. She regretted every moment of their conversation earlier. She should have known how Lexa would take it. She lived her life in black and white with very little gray. It's life or death, stay or leave. There is no in between. She should have understood her better than that. She made herself a promise that she'd spend the rest of her life trying to understand that woman if only she'd be given the chance.

"The Commander has sent for you." It was one of Lexa's guards. He was standing in her front door. She felt terrible. She'd gotten an hour of sleep at most before the knock on the door from the warrior Lexa had sent.

"Tell your Commander I need some time." Clarke replied with frustration and exhaustion undoubtedly in her tone.

"I'll wait." He pushed open the door and proceeded to walk past her into the living room where she watched him stand completely still.

Clarke rolled her eyes and walked slowly up the stairs. She knew there were important things happening today and she needed to be focused, but Lexa sending someone for her only reminded her of how things were before. She didn't want to go backwards with Lexa. She wanted to move forward, but she couldn't find a way to convey they properly so here they were. She readied herself quickly when she realized that the faster she left the house, the sooner she'd see Lexa and maybe they would figure this thing out before they set the trap at the market.

"I'm ready." She told the guard and he walked her out of her house and down the sidewalk toward where she could only assume Lexa stayed the previous night. She thought they'd be walking toward a house, but instead the guard walked her into the government part of the city where Carolina's office had been and the representative's hall was. "Where's Lexa?" Clarke asked him.

"Heda is here." He motioned toward a building.

"Let me guess…" Clarke didn't finish the sentence. She walked into the building and toward the office she knew Lexa would be sitting in. When she opened the door to the president's office, she saw Lexa sitting behind Carolina's old desk. She had two guards standing at her side.

"Hello, Clarke." She greeted. She had her war paint on and was dressed for battle. Her hair was braided and pulled back. If they had brought her throne from the capital Clarke guessed she'd be sitting in it.

"Commander." Clarke returned seriously.

"Leave us." Lexa ordered of the guards. She walked quickly past Clarke and closed the door behind them.

"Lexa, what-"

"We must prepare for our capture of York and Brooklyn." Lexa interrupted. She stood up and walked around the desk, standing in front of it.

"This is ridiculous, Lexa. Talk to me." Clarke begged, taking a few steps forward.

"We must focus today." Lexa replied.

"You know what…" Clarke started and rushed quickly toward Lexa. "I had you up against a table once, I can do it again." She stopped only inches from Lexa. "I didn't say things right last night and I'm sorry for that, but you acting like nothing's happened between us is not okay, Lexa. Sending for me like I'm just Clarke of the Sky People and not-" She didn't know what to call herself. "…the person you want to spend your life with takes us back. I don't want to go back."

"You don't want to go forward either." Lexa replied, tension all over her face.

"That is not what I said. You're putting words in my mouth." Clarke retorted.

"You asked for time apart. I am giving that to you."

Clarke took a step back and looked into those deep blue eyes surrounded by black.

"Tell me you love me."

"What?" Lexa questioned her.

"Tell me you love me."

Lexa tried to move past Clarke.

"We don't have time for this, Clarke."

Clarke grabbed her arm. This time, she wasn't letting her go.

"Lexa, I need to hear you say it. I need to know it's still true before we do whatever it is we're going to do today."

Lexa was staring off toward the door, unable to meet Clarke's eye.

"You've taught me to love again, Clarke, but I am not a person who can be half-in anything. You know that."

"I do."

"I will give you all that I have. The good and the bad will belong to you." She finally turned around. "Yet you wish to go through your bad alone. You need to be without me to get through something that I was not only a part of, but also something I caused in leaving you. Can you not see that this is impossible for me to do?"

Clarke hadn't thought of it like that.

"Lexa…"

"What do you expect from me, Clarke? You knew who I was when you met me. You know what I've been through and what I've had to do to even get myself here… to be someone with the ability to express love again and to be someone remotely worthy of you."

"You're all in?" Clarke checked in, but she already knew the answer.

"Which part of being bonded to me confused you?" Lexa asked. "You spoke of marriage, you gave me a ring, you began the bonding tradition by getting the tattoo." She paused. "We're supposed to be sharing our life together. I am going to the capital to finish something for our people, to solidify the alliance so that I might lay down my sword and dedicate myself to this new life with you. I can't have you, but not really have you, Clarke."

Clarke took a deep breath. She knew Lexa was right. She'd done a horrible job explaining what she needed to her the night before and had caused Lexa to have this doubt about where they were going in their relationship.

"I'm-" She started before the door burst open.

"Hey, you guys ready?" Bellamy asked. He was holding a gun across his chest and looked to be ready for another firefight if it went that way.

"Can we just have a minute?" Clarke asked him.

"No, it's okay. We're ready." Lexa insisted. Lexa left the room. Bellamy was left there staring at Clarke.

"Is everything okay because now is really not the time for you two to have a lover's quarrel?" He mentioned.

"Bell, just-" She opened her mouth to let out a huge sigh.

"Oh." He said with realization in his tone. "Sorry, I was just kidding. I didn't… Is everything okay?" He walked all the way into the room.

"I don't know."

"What happened? I thought you guys were okay. You were fine yesterday."

"I made a mistake."

"What kind of mistake?" He asked.

Clarke wasn't sure how much she should reveal to him. Lexa was a pretty private person and she didn't want to share more than she should and have to apologize for it later, but Bellamy was one of the few people she could trust and she could use someone to talk too.

"I may have suggested we needed to slow things down."

"What? Why?" He asked.

"Because everything has just happened so fast. We're fighting battles and trying to build a relationship. It's a lot."

"You love each other, right?"

"Yes, I love her." She paused. "And I know she loves me. It's why it hurts so much when I tell her things like 'I think I may need some time apart.'"

"You told her that?"

"Yes." She admitted.

"Clarke, Lexa loves you."

"Yes, I know."

"No, I mean like really loves you. I know I was in the mountain for a lot of what happened at camp, but I've seen it and Octavia even told me she knew Lexa loved you before you did. It was apparently obvious."

"Yeah well, love isn't everything, Bell. We still have to get along with each other." She leaned back against the desk. Bellamy approached the table she'd eaten a meal at with Carolina and sat the gun down.

"Look, I don't know anything about your relationship… or any relationship really. I haven't had any that matter, but what you two have, it's epic, Clarke."

"Epic?"

"Yeah, you fit. You just do. Maybe that's why you're feeling it so much. Like it's heavy?"

"Yeah."

"Because it is." He offered. "Because she's the one." He paused. "That is heavy. The whole thing is intense, but fast or slow or somewhere in between, it would still be just as intense." He took a step toward her. "You just need to be willing to share it all with her."

"How do you know all this?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"By watching Octavia and Lincoln." He explained. "I didn't see it at first and I wanted to murder him, but they fit. They found each other and I bet if you ask them, they'll tell you the same time. It's intense and it hurts sometimes, but I think they'd tell you it's worth it." He paused. "I mean you'd have to ask them, but-" He started. Clarke laughed. "What's so funny?"

"It's just… Lexa used to think you and I were… or that I cared about you more than the others."

"Oh great. Thanks." He replied sarcastically.

"That's not what I meant. She thought I wanted to be with you."

"Yeah, I got it. No offense, I like you, but not like that and I don't think I'd have much of a chance against Lexa."

"Even if you did, she'd probably just kill you in your sleep if she thought you were real competition."

They shared a small laugh.

"I sleep with a gun these days." He replied. The smile faded slowly. "Just keep talking to her, Clarke. You guys will work it out."

"Thanks, Bell."

"Come on. Let's go catch these bastards." He picked up his gun and they walked out of the office to meet the others.

They were standing in a large meeting room in the same building. All of Clarke's people were there now including her mother and a few grounders. Lexa was standing at the head of the table. Clarke intuitively walked to stand next to her. Regardless of what they were going through as a couple, as leaders, Lexa was right. They needed to present a united front.

"Okay, here's the plan." Clarke started. "Bellamy and Lincoln will be stationed here." She pointed at the map of the market and the surrounding area. "Octavia and Indra, you'll be here around back. I will be inside the building here." She pointed. "With Raven and Wick."

"Change in plans." Lexa stated. "I'll be with you. Wick and Raven will go with Kane here." She pointed outside the building itself near the perimeter they'd decided to setup. The original plan had been for Lexa to remain outside the building. That way if something happened to Clarke or Indra, she'd likely be okay to lead and if something happened to her outside, Clarke and Indra would be okay and could lead. Clarke hated having to think about things like that, but she had no choice. She wanted to ask why, but knew now wasn't the time to question Lexa.

"Okay. Mom, you'll stand back away from the fray, but near enough if someone gets hurt."

"Understood." She complied.

"We'll setup more of Lexa's men on the perimeter including 4 sharp shooters with bows just in case they get past us." Clarke continued. "The room where the supplies are stored is massive, but we don't want them to see us until we're ready for them so we won't overwhelm the space with our people. Just a few guards and those I've mentioned already. There's a small room here." She pointed. "Where people typically get handed their rations. It's unlikely they'll go there, but we'll keep an eye on it just in case." She looked around. "Everyone clear on what they need to do?"

The people in the room nodded.

"They should be captured alive. Killed only if unavoidable." Lexa told them. "We will punish them in front of the people along with the Ice Queen."

Everyone nodded again.

"Let's go." Clarke said. People began moving out of the room through the doors to the left. Clarke started to follow, but felt a touch on her arm and turned back to see Lexa looking at her.

"Now is not the time to talk about this, but before I leave tonight, we will finish our conversation."

"Thank you." Clarke replied, grateful for another chance to clear the air before Lexa departed. "Why did you change your mind about staying outside if I'm inside?"

"Because we fight together, Clarke. We do better when we protect each other." She replied and Clarke nodded. "Besides, the reasoning for the original choice was flawed."

Clarke looked at her confused.

"How so?"  
"Because if something did happen to you in there, there's no way I could actually lead a battle. I couldn't-" She stopped herself when thinking about something happening to Clarke became too much. "We should go." She pulled herself together and Clarke walked out with Lexa following close behind.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

The trap was set at the market. Everyone was in position. Bellamy had insisted that the message went through on the radio and that if York needed supplies, he'd show up. Kane seemed less sure, but that didn't surprise Clarke. After about 30 minutes of waiting, Clarke decided she'd better settle in for a long day. They'd only told York and Brooklyn, via the radio, that they were going to be away from the market for the events of the executions. They failed to mention a window of time. Clarke only hoped that they actually heard the message. Raven and Wick had put together a device that could track the radio, but the radio had been turned off or the battery was dead. They weren't entirely convinced the device would actually work. They did their best working through the night, but they'd never built something like that before with the supplies they had. If the radio did come back on though, they had it with them and would hopefully be able to pick up the signal and track them within about 100 feet.

It felt like an eternity to her as she knelt in her ready position waiting for someone to arrive and try to steal supplies. After a few hours though, it was clear that if York or Brooklyn were showing up, it may not be today. It was nearing noon. Clarke stealthily moved through the building, still hoping they'd arrive. She made her way toward Lexa and knelt back down.

"How much longer do we stay?" Clarke asked her.

"You and I should go. I'll leave people behind to continue watching for them just in case."

"I'll leave Bellamy and Lincoln and Raven." Clarke offered.

"Let's go." Lexa said. They made their way outside toward Indra who'd been hiding behind a large tree awaiting an order.

"Heda, I will remain behind." She offered.

"No, come with us. You should remain at my side." Lexa told her.

Octavia approached.

"Octavia, you will act in my stead." Indra shared. "That means you are in command."

"I can handle it." Octavia replied confidently.

Raven and Wick approached with Kane.

"What's up?" Raven asked.

"We're heading to the trials. You should come with us. We need as many people on our side there as possible." They'd decided on public trials for the Ice Nation members that remained. Glacia wouldn't be present given her role in the near coo, but the rest would be there. It was mainly for show. York and Brooklyn thought they'd all be executed. It was only Clarke and Lexa's inner circle that knew even the trials would be for show; just a distraction for now to give some kind of closure to the battle, to show that they could be fair, but that no one should try to pull this kind of thing again.

"Okay. Are we just giving up here though?" Raven asked. Just then, the small device attached to Raven's hip lit up. It had a small screen they'd taken off of a portable television they'd found scrapped. It was black and white with numbers on it. Clarke didn't know what it meant, but she guessed Raven and Wick did. "They've turned the radio on."

"Where are they?" Clarke asked.

"Not where you expect us to be." It was York's voice over the radio attached to Wick's hip.

"Wick? You had that on the whole time?" Raven asked. "What if someone would have said something and it spooked them?"

"I just turned it on… after I thought we were ditching the plan. I hit the button. Sorry." He explained.

Clarke took the radio from him.

"Where are they?" Clarke asked Raven. Lexa stood next to her waiting for the screen and Raven to reveal a location.

"Clarke? Are you there?" York asked.

"I'm here, York. Where are you?" She asked and then looked at Raven.

"It's still calculating." Raven answered.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that." York said. Clarke heard him sigh. "If only things had been different. When Carolina told me she thought you and I would make a perfect match, I had to agree with her. You're pretty hot, Clarke." He stated. Lexa stared at the radio with contempt.

"Well, I don't think it would have worked out."

"You've got your little commander girlfriend."

"Yes and also, you're a psychopath."

"I am what my mother made me." He replied. "You try being raised by that woman and not turning out like this. Even Brooklyn ended up like me because of Carolina."

"What do you want, York?" Clarke asked.

"My city." He replied quickly.

"Why is he talking to us?" Wick asked.

"He doesn't know we're tracking him." Clarke answered. "He figured out the trap, but he doesn't know about the tracker." She clicked the radio. "It's not your city. It never was."

"Come on, Clarke. Just go back to your capital with your warrior princess and leave this place to Brooklyn and me. We can find others to help us… repopulate." He laughed a little. "You go your way. We go our way. No more violence. I'll even let you take the planes and since you're already at the market, take some rations too."

"I will end him." Lexa stated.

"This is our city now, York." Clarke stated confidently. "You want it, come and get it."

She heard him laugh on the other end of the radio.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Clarke. It's why I liked you so much. I thought you were worthy." There was a long silence. "I don't have to come to you to get what I want. I'm just going to take it." With that, the radio went silent.

Clarke made sure the radio was off just in case.

"Raven?"  
"He's near the city center."

"What?" Octavia asked.

"The latitude and longitude match. That's where he is."

"They're going to take the city." Clarke warned.

"They can't. There are only two of them." Wick responded.

"They might have picked up a few people. They had followers." Raven said.

"They don't need them." Lexa realized. "We'll all be at the same place at the same time. The trials. They think they are executions. Everyone was going to attend."

"They're planning an attack." Clarke shared.

"Something fast. Something that doesn't require a lot of people." Lexa elucidated.

"Bombs." Raven added. "That's the only thing they could do to take us all out at once."

"No resistance." Clarke stated.

"We have to cancel everything today. We need to get word to everyone to go back to their houses and wait-" Raven started.

"We cannot cancel." Lexa retorted. "We know where they are. We've figured out their plan. They made a mistake in telling us."

"What if they didn't?" Clarke questioned. "What if this is a trap just like our radio transmission to them was supposed to be? Maybe there are no bombs. They just want us to think there are."

"We can stand here guessing all day, but those people-" Raven began again.

"I know." Clarke told her. "We need to find a way to keep up appearances, but still find York and Brooklyn."

"And a bomb apparently." Raven replied.

"We'll find it, Raven." Clarke assured her without entirely assuring herself. "Let's just get over there."

"Some of us should try to stop the people who aren't there yet from going. They should at least stay away." Octavia mentioned.

"Okay." Clarke replied.

"Lincoln and I will take care of it. Gather a few people and make sure word only gets out to who we want." She explained.

"Thanks." Clarke answered.

When they arrived at the location, Lexa's protective instincts emerged. She pulled Clarke aside after Clarke had issued orders to start looking around covertly. She was hoping they'd find the bombs if there were any and at least move them away from the crowd of people already gathering and in good spirits with the impending trials. If they found York and/or Brooklyn, that would be even better, but she wasn't hopeful. York was smart, but Clarke sensed Brooklyn was even smarter and they probably figured out a way to get what they wanted without getting caught.

"Clarke, I don't like you being here." Lexa admitted.

Clarke just looked at her.

"I don't like either of us being here, Lexa, but we don't have a choice."

Lexa tugged lightly on her arm.

"This isn't about us, okay?"

"What's not about us?" Clarke asked her.

"What I'm about to say."

"Lexa, just-"

"One of us has to go, Clarke."

"What are you talking about?"

"If there's a bomb and it goes off and we are both here, there will be no one left to lead the people."

"We've fought side by side before."

"Not like this. Your people would not follow Indra and mine would not follow Bellamy or Kane or even your mother."

"Lexa, I'm not going anywhere."

"My people will follow you, Clarke. Your people would not follow me."

"How do you know that?"

"You know I'm right." Lexa spoke with confidence. "One of us should leave. If there is a bomb and we can't stop it from going off…" She drifted for a second and looked around. Clarke took in the sunlight reflecting in Lexa's eyes when she looked to the side.

"I can't just leave everyone here. I can't just leave _you_ here. What would I do? Just go home and sit there? Wait?"

Lexa looked at her as if she was unsure how to respond.

"I know it is unfair to ask and I know you are not someone who stays behind. You charge into battle. It is one of the things I love about you, but-"

"You're right." Clarke told her. "About my people not following you. You're right." She considered her options. She knew logically Lexa was correct. If their people were to stick together, it had to be one of them in charge. It wouldn't work otherwise. The thought of just sitting around waiting for a possible bomb to go off killing hundreds of people including her friends and the love of her life wasn't an option and she knew it. "I'll go to the hospital and help my mom. If more people get injured from a bomb, we'll need all the hands we can get." She took Lexa's hand. "But make sure to-"

"I will." Lexa interrupted.  
"And-"

"I know." Lexa put her free hand on Clarke's cheek. "We will be fine."

"We've come too far to lose it now, Lexa."

"And we won't." She kissed her gently on the lips. "I will find you. After."

Clarke didn't want to say goodbye. If she did, she thought there was a chance it might just be. She turned and walked briskly at first in the direction of a car and then she started to run. She ran because if she didn't, she knew she'd stop walking and turn back around. The more time she had to think about leaving Lexa, the more likely it would be that she couldn't do it and Lexa was right. They shouldn't be together. She two leaders of their respective groups were the only two people who could keep those groups united, but the truth was that Lexa's people had already accepted Clarke while the Sky People were less sure of Lexa despite all she'd done. It was smart and that was what Clarke focused on as she drove off in someone's car toward the hospital to help her mother.

When she arrived, Abby was tending to someone that had been stabbed during the battle earlier. Clarke rushed over to help her.

"What are you doing here?" Abby asked her as Clarke took some bandages and applied them with pressure to a wound in the man's side.

"Lexa thought it would be best for us to separate in case something happens to one of us." Clarke shared bluntly with no emotion.

Abby looked over at her.

"And you left?"

"There was a much longer conversation and it made sense, but I really don't want to talk about it because if I do, it will drive me crazy to think of her there without me with a possible bo-" She stopped herself. She looked around at the mass of people. "Can we…"

"Yeah." Abby motioned to another woman to continue working on the injured man and followed Clarke over to a corner where they could speak privately. "What's going on, Clarke?"

"York and Brooklyn might have planted a bomb at the execution site."  
"What?"

"We don't know for sure, but if they did, both of us shouldn't be there. Lexa is leading the group trying to locate it or them or-"

"Don't get me wrong, as your mother, I am happy you're away from the possible bomb site, but why were you the one that left?"

"Because her people would follow me, but mine wouldn't follow her." She didn't need to explain more. Abby nodded that she understood.

Clarke watched as an injured grounder woman walked past them. As the woman made her way toward the open doors of the hospital, Clarke noticed something. There was a man wearing a janitor's uniform and a baseball hat walking in the direction of the stairs leading to the second level of the hospital. He had a backpack over his shoulder and appeared to be moving with purpose and with his head down.

"Mom." Clarke whispered. "Can you move these people?"

"What? Why?"

"Can they be moved out of the hospital?"

"Some of them. Some of them are too-"

"I need you to get them all out of here." Clarke pulled the gun out from behind her back. She watched as the man moved out of sight and looked back at her mom. "York's here and I think he has a bomb with him."

"What?" Abby turned to follow Clarke's former glance, but saw nothing.

"He just went upstairs. I need you to get everyone out of the building as fast as you can and keep them away." Clarke started to walk in the direction of the stairs. "Clarke, you can't go after him yourself."

"Have someone take a car and go tell Lexa and Raven. If he does have a bomb and he sets it, I'll need her help in shutting the thing down."

"Call them on the radio."

"I can't risk one of them hearing it. Please mom." Clarke pleaded.

Abby eyed her daughter with both fear and anger. She knew she would be unable to convince her not to go after York. Her daughter was stubborn as she had been in her youth. She really only had herself to blame for Clarke's stubbornness. Her genes combined with the genes of her husband and Clarke never stood a chance. She was born to be a leader. Abby could only nod at her because even with those thoughts and her knowledge, Clarke was her only child. She was all she had left. If she lost her, nothing else would matter.

Abby moved toward one of the women acting as nurse and Clarke watched as she whispered something in her ear before making sure the safety was off on her gun and beginning her walk toward the stairs. She held it level as she climbed and turned on the landing between levels. She checked for York and he was not there. She continued up the stairs while Abby watched her daughter move out of sight.

Clarke reached for the radio on her hip and flicked it into the off position just in case someone forgot that the enemy had one of their radios and knew their frequency. She looked left and then right and then left again. The second floor was deserted. The lights were off, but the sunlight from the windows was enough to light her way. She took a chance and went left. The gun was shaking slightly in her two hands as she held them out in front of her and turned repeatedly to look inside rooms with open doors. The doors that were closed, she left that way so as not to make noise. There were more floors to this hospital and York could be on any of them. She didn't know how much time she had or if she had any. If he had a bomb in that bag, he could have set it already and ran out another exit. She could only have a few seconds left to live, but she pushed that out of her mind. After clearing the open rooms on the left side, she moved back toward the right. She heard a door open and it sounded like it was behind her. She turned quickly and stood, staring at a startled York. She aimed the gun right at him. He stood still, his eyes boring into her.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you here." He confessed.

She looked at the backpack that was still on his shoulder. It looked lighter.

"Where is it, York?" She asked and took several steps forward.

"Where's what, Sky Girl. That's what they call you, right? Sky Girl?"

"Where's the bomb?" She stood about 10 feet away from him.

"Bomb? Whatever gave you that idea?"

"What is your endgame here, York? If you've already set the bomb, it's going to go off with you in the building. You'll die too."

"Clarke, you know how much I value self-preservation."

"So you didn't set it?"

"Oh, I set it, but it's not that kind of a bomb." He smirked. "You see we have more than just the basics here. There were a few gadgets left over from the war all those years ago." He paused. "Some of them still work."

"What do you want?" She asked him.

"I want this city. You know that. Originally, I thought I'd just have to bide my time until I could catch Carolina in a vulnerable moment. We couldn't just take her out. She had people that were deeply loyal and would never support Brooklyn and I as leaders."

"And then we showed up."

"Let's just say I thought _you'd_ be more… _malleable_. I thought I could convince you to join our cause."

"Well, that didn't work."

"Clearly. I doubted your affection for that cave woman commander, Lexa. Brooklyn's never going to let me hear the end of that one." He turned his head to the side. "I thought you'd be with her now. You should be at the execution site. We left enough clues. We thought you were bright enough to figure them out."

"I was."

"Then, why are you here? Spat with the girlfriend?" He took a step toward her.

"You've never really known love, have you?" She asked him and held the gun tighter. "My guess is that your parents knew you were a little sociopath and Carolina only gave you any kind of attention when you were following her orders. Your cousin is just using you to get her way now. So, you've never really had someone that cared about you so much, they were willing to die for you."

"So, you're going to give me a lesson on love now?" He started. "The person you love is somewhere very dangerous, Clarke. You left her there. What does that say about you?"

"That I was willing to lose her to save our people."

"That's depressing." He didn't sound depressed. "Even more depressing is that it will all be for nothing. Most of those people you're being so brave for will be dead by the end of the day and the rest won't be far behind them."

"So, you and Brooklyn will take over a city that has no people? What's the point, York?"

"Some people will survive. There will be a few stragglers, people who will come to appreciate our leadership. We have a few people who already want us in power and we've kept them safe."

"Why? Why all this? Why does everyone want to be in charge?" Clarke asked the air around her. "Because it really isn't all it's cracked up to be. You have to make decisions for an entire civilization. You have to live with the consequences of those decisions. You lose people and you have to act like you sacrificed them for the good of everyone else, but really you just end up having nightmares starring everyone you've had to leave behind."

"The difference between you and I is that you care. I don't."

"I know." She said. "And I know what I have to do." She pulled the trigger and the sound of the gun firing nearly burst an eardrum.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30:

It took some searching in the supply closet, but Clarke finally found what she was looking for. It had a countdown that was already running, but she couldn't tell what kind of bomb it was and she had no idea how to diffuse it. She had to risk it. She turned the radio back on.

"Raven?" She spoke into it.  
"I'm here." The reply came in after a few moments of static.

"Where are you? I've got something I need you to look at."

"I'm in the car. They just picked me up. On my way."

"How long?" She asked into the radio. "The clock's running on this thing. We've only got 10 minutes."

"I'm 5 minutes out." Raven shared. "Tell me what you're looking at."

"It looks like a bomb, but I'm not sure it is. I don't see any explosives. It's just a box with a lot of wires running in and out and the timer."

"Get out of there, Clarke."

"I can't. Not everyone's out of the hospital yet."

"So? Go help them get people out. I can try to disarm it when I get there, but with less than 5 minutes, it might not be possible. Just get everyone as far away as you can."

"What's going on out there?" Clarke changed the subject while she continued to stare at the device trying to figure the thing out.

"Indra found a bomb. Wick was able to disarm it, but then Lexa found another one. He's working on that one now, but Clarke… he's only one person. If they have more…"

"When were they set to go off?"

"They weren't. There was no timer. That means someone's going to set them off remotely."

"How would they do that?"

"Trigger. They'd have to be within a few hundred feet though."

"Brooklyn."

"You think it's her? What about York?"

"Trust me. It's her."

"Just get everyone out. There's nothing you can do. I'm on my way."

Clarke knew Raven was right. She could stare at the box for years and never know which wire to cut or pull. She was more useful downstairs. She stood and made her way out of the closet.

"You should have killed me, Clarke. You know that! I would have killed you if the positions were reversed. That was the smart move." York was sitting on the floor against the walls with his hands tied behind his back, his legs crossed and a bullet wound in his shoulder.

"Probably." Clarke leaned down in front of him. "But you pointed out earlier… I'm not like you, York."

"You won't win, Clarke." He told her.

"Maybe not." She stated and then smacked him in the head with the butt of the gun, his head dropped and he was unconscious. "But we'll survive. We always do."

She ran down the stairs toward the patients to help move them.

"It's an EMP." Raven stated as she and Clarke stared down at it. The clock was ticking down from 4:32. "They're going to fry the electronics in this place."

"What?" Clarke asked her as she kneeled next to her.

"Electro-magnetic pulse. It'll take out anything with electronics in…" she lifted the box, looked around and set it back down. "…probably the whole freaking city."

"That's what he meant when he said some would die today, but the rest of them wouldn't last much longer."

"This thing has got some serious power." Raven admired.

"Can you disarm it?"

"Give me a couple of minutes." She started working. "The good news is that it's not a real bomb. It won't explode. It will just shut everything down."

"But you're going to stop it, right?"

"Please, who you talking too?" Raven smiled at her and continued her work. "You should have killed that prick." She looked over at York. He was still unconscious, but Clarke had dragged him into the closet with them so she could keep an eye on him. He was tied to a shelf that was bolted to the floor.

"Maybe, but I couldn't go back there again."

"Back where?" Raven asked her and then cracked the box open. "Oh this is so cool. They've got this thing wired up." She sounded excited.

"Raven!"

"Sorry, gotta admire the craftsmanship." She moved her nimble fingers around wires and grabbed some small wire cutters. "This one and this one are connected to the power source. This one is connected to the detonator." She pulled that wire. "There." She flipped the box over and the timer had stopped at 2:13.

"There?"

"It's disarmed. This thing is cool though. I'm gonna take it with me if you're cool with that."

"I guess."

"Ask him where he got it when he wakes up. There might be more. We should pick em up and lock em away in case anyone else gets ideas."

"I doubt he'll just share that information. I don't even know if this is the only one he set. He could have been at this all day."

"That would be redundant. This thing would have done the job." Raven supplied.

"They wanted to blow up the executions and kill as many as they could." Clarke stated.

"And the rest could die without the electricity and heat when winter comes." Raven finished. "It's pretty smart. Evil, but smart."

"I can't just sit here. I thought I could, but I can't sit this one out. I should be there." Clarke stood behind Raven.

"You can come back with me. I should go now that this thing is harmless. Help Wick."

"Let's go." Clarke tucked the gun behind her back. "I'll deal with Lexa's wrath after this whole thing is finally over."

"Wrath?"

"Long story."

Clarke told her mother it was safe to move everyone back into the hospital and added a few grounders to York's guard up stairs. They sustained only minor injuries in the battle and were itching to return to work. Clarke figured standing them outside the closet York was locked in would help them feel useful and keep York in one place until they could track down Brooklyn.

"Clarke!" It was Bellamy's voice from the radio. Raven and Clarke had just made it to a car and we're getting ready to leave.

"Bell? What happened?" Clarke asked into the radio.

"One went off." Bellamy replied. He sounded winded.

Clarke's eyes widened. Raven was standing on the other side of the car. Her eyes were equally wide. Clarke knew she was worried about Wick just as she was worried about Lexa.

"Where?" Clarke asked, her heart pumping out of her chest.

"The market. They got the supplies." He replied.

"How many people?" Clarke followed.

"At least 20." His breathing was fast. "Lincoln was there with Octavia."

"Bell-"

"He's out cold. The blast knocked him back, but he's alive. Octavia took shrapnel in the side and her leg. She's bleeding pretty bad, Clarke. I don't know what-"

"I'm at the hospital, Bell. I'll grab someone and bring them to help." Clarke answered.

"I'm on it." Raven started to run back inside, but stopped and turned. "Clarke..."

"I got it. Bell, what about Wick?"

"He's fine. He wasn't here. He's back working on a fourth bomb he found."

Clarke watched Raven breathe a sigh of relief and then she turned and ran into the hospital. A few seconds later, she emerged with one of Abby's assistants who had his bag over his shoulder. The three of them drove as fast as they could toward the market and climbed out of the car. The assistant went to work as Bellamy held onto Octavia's hand. She was conscious, but barely. Clarke held onto her other hand for a moment until the assistant asked her to help stop the bleeding. The two of them worked on Octavia for several minutes until she was more or less stable and he moved onto the next patient. Clarke stood and looked around. The market was only slightly damaged. It appeared the bomb had been placed near the door to get whoever happened to walk through it.

She saw several mangled bodies sprawled out in front of the door. Part of the building was still on fire. The injured victims were trying to help one another. Clarke admired a grounder girl helping a man from the ark before turning to check on Bellamy, who had stood to walk toward her.

"We lost Winston." He shared. Winston had been a guard on the ark that Bellamy had liked before they'd been hurled toward Earth on the ship. "He was walking in to check it out and the bomb just went off. Everyone in that first group was taken out. Octavia and Lincoln were in the back. They were lucky."

"Why were you here, Bell. I thought you were staying over there?" She asked him.  
"I wasn't here when it happened. I found the third bomb with Wick, but when I heard what happened, I got here as fast as I could. I know I should have stayed to help, but I had to check on Octavia."

"Hey, it's okay. I understand." She told him and brushed her hand along his arm in an act of comfort. "Help here. Load as many of the injured as you can into that truck. Does it run?" She asked him and pointed toward a pick-up truck off to the side of the building.

"I don't know. I'll check."

"Take them to the hospital."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Brooklyn." She stated. "She set this off with a remote detonator. That means she was nearby and watched our people walk inside. She set it off to kill as many people as possible. Now that she's done here, she'll go over there and set off the rest of the ones we haven't found yet." She started walking toward the car she'd arrived in. "I have to stop her."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

Clarke sped away from the group still recovering from one bomb and drove toward potentially more bombs and the chaos they would bring. She tried not to think about Lexa because that would be selfish at a time like this, but she couldn't keep the thoughts out of her head; the worry that another bomb could go off any second and that Lexa could be near kept pushing its way into her muddled brain. She continued in the direction of the city center where the trials were supposed to take place later that day. She saw small groups of people running in different directions away from the site. She guessed the cat was out of the bag and grounders and sky people alike were rushing toward their newly acquired homes or off in other directions toward the woods surrounding the city.

Off to the right, she saw a giant burst of light and felt the shake of another blast. The car veered off the road and ended up in a ditch as debris crashed into it. Clarke shielded her face from the windows as they broke and glass rained in on her. She took a second to check herself over before climbing out of the driver's side of the car and looking in the direction of the blast. The bomb must have been in one of the houses as she was still in a residential part of town.

"They want us to think there's no safe place to hide." She said to herself and looked around. Most people had stopped in their tracks when the blast occurred. A few people rushed toward one of the two houses that looked like they could have been the bombsite to see if there was anyone inside that needed help. Clarke guessed that if there was someone inside, they were beyond help. She saw the rest of the people start to run away from the homes and it looked like they were headed for the outskirts of the city as well, giving up the idea that their homes were safe.

She ran too, but in the direction of the city center hoping to find Wick or Lexa to get an update. She found Wick staring down at something that looked like a bomb and she knelt beside him.

"Clarke? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Bombs are going off, Wick! People are dying! How many more do you think there are?"

"I don't know." He admitted and then snipped some wires. "These are remote. They're all on the same frequency and connected together, but I'm too busy disarming them individually to figure out what the frequency is and disable them. I need Raven or another engineer."

"Maybe I can help." Kane stood in front of them. "I was an apprentice for a time. Tell me what you need me to do. I can do more than just help evacuate people."

Wick looked over at Clarke. She nodded.

"The bomb construction is the same. I've gotten to 6 already and they've all been mostly the same. You need to lift this part and unscrew the cap." He instructed and handed Kane his screwdriver. "Here are the wire cutters." He passed them over. "The only difference between them so far has been the-"

Another bomb went off. It blew Clarke back a few steps, but she regained her footing and looked in the direction of the blast. It came from the floor of the president's office. She knew that location all too well.

"The only difference…" Wick repeated as he and Kane refocused on the task at hand. "Is the wire color. They wanted us to make a mistake and cut the wrong one, but if you look closely, you'll see it's connected to the power source here. On each bomb, it's the same regardless of whatever color wire they used. Cut here and here." He ordered. "Just like I did." He looked over at Kane. "And you'll be fine."

"Where are the others? How many more?" Kane asked.

"I don't know how many yet. I'll be able to tell once I tap into the frequency, but they've been about 100 yards a part so far. Go that way. Take a group of people and fan out. You'll find one soon enough."

"Then, get the people out of there and diffuse it, Kane." Clarke finished. "Wick, what do you need?"

"Some equipment I have at my house. I'm on my way." He stood and started running. "Keep your radio on." He yelled without turning around.

"Kane, have you seen Lexa?" Clarke asked before Kane started to run off too.

"She was-" He started and then stopped himself. He looked in the direction of the last bomb blast. "I saw her inside." He motioned with his eyes. "But that was a few minutes ago. I'm sure she got out and-"

Clarke was running before he could finish his offer of encouragement. She ran past more people running in the other direction and if she had been able to be rational in that moment, she might have followed them, but her main concern at the moment was finding Lexa. She knew she was putting herself above everyone else in that moment, but she couldn't help it. There was no stopping her from finding Lexa. Everyone else would have to do without her until then.

She arrived at the entrance of the building. It was still standing as the blast took mainly the right side of the second through fourth levels and the entrance was more to the left. She swung the door open and rushed inside. To her left, everything appeared normal. A few items that had been sitting on a desk were now on the floor, but other than that, if she hadn't seen it herself, just by looking at that side of the building, she wouldn't have known a bomb had gone off. It was the sound that drew her attention away after a few seconds. The first floor was creaking and about to give way. She didn't have much time to try to find any survivors. She lunged in the direction of the stairs that were still mainly intact and pushed debris aside as she needed.

"Lexa!" She shouted over the sound of the collapsing building. "Anyone!" She heard no reply. When she got to the next floor, she pushed aside the door that had broken off its hinges and saw two women cowering in a corner. "Come on! This way!" Clarke yelled at them and then helped pull them both up. She had to push them toward the door and then in the direction of the stairs. "Go. Run." They hesitated for a moment until she pushed the older one again. "It's going to collapse. You have to go now." Clarke urged. Finally, they both nodded and ran back down the stairs.

Clarke continued looking, but the air was smoky around her. She began coughing and wondered how much longer she'd be able to look as the creeping sound was growing less faint and more frequent.

"Lexa!" She shouted again and both hoped and didn't hope for a reply. Her head moved from left to right and she turned around at least ten times looking for any sign. When she found none, she started rushing toward the staircase again to go up to the next floor, but there were two large, steel beams blocking her path. She felt the ground lurch beneath her and it was enough to drop her to her knees. There was no way she'd make it up those stairs. She'd have to go all the way down the stairs and back up the other staircase that was near the back of the building and there was no guarantee it wasn't blocked. The time it would take to do all of that… another lurch. She looked up and saw that the ceiling beam was about to give way.

Before she could stand again to start running, she felt hands grip her under her arms and help lift her up. She turned to see Lexa staring back at her through a face covered with soot and scrapes. She breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around the other girl.

"No time, Clarke. We've got to go." Lexa ordered and pushed Clarke in the direction of the stairs. Clarke started and then turned when she couldn't feel Lexa behind her.

"What's wrong?" She asked her and then took a few steps back toward her.

"My leg. Something fell on it." Lexa shared.

Clarke looked down and saw a giant gash in Lexa's thigh.

"Hold onto me." Clarke wrapped her arm around Lexa and helped her hobble toward the stairs. The ceiling beam gave way a few seconds after they moved and they got down the stairs as quickly as they could.

"I knew you'd come in after her."

They both looked up after reaching the first floor and saw piercing eyes staring at them behind a gun pointed in their direction.

"Brooklyn." Clarke said.

"Where's my cousin? He should have been here by now and since he's not, I can only assume you two had something to do with that."

"He's alive if that's what you're asking." Clarke shared. "But he won't be able to help you anymore."

Brooklyn smiled.

"That's fine. I don't need him anymore anyway. You just saved me some time actually."

"Are you going to kill us now or what?" Clarke asked her.

"Oh, I'm going to kill you. Just not today. It'll be more of a show to kill to so-called leaders of our newest group of immigrants in front of the crowd. Really show them who's in charge if you know what I mean." She took a step to the side and continued pointing the gun at them. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get out of here before this place goes down."

They started to walk toward the entrance. Clarke held onto Lexa and kept her eye on the gun and Brooklyn at the same time.

"If you don't want to kill us now, why did you blow this place with Lexa inside?" Clarke asked.

"I would have settled for one of you. When I saw her go inside, I took my chance to take her out, but she just wouldn't die, would she?" Brooklyn looked at Clarke. "Then I saw you go in after her and I worried you'd end up getting yourself killed and I couldn't lose both of you so I had to improvise." Brooklyn followed them with her glance as they made it outside. "Looks like I might only end up with one of you anyway though. That's a lot of blood your girl is losing there, Clarke."

Clarke looked down at Lexa's leg and Brooklyn was right. Lexa was bleeding heavily. Clarke looked up at her face and saw that beneath all that dirt, she was a pale white. She needed medical attention and fast and Brooklyn wasn't likely to provide it.

"I'm okay, Clarke." Lexa got out looking a little delirious.

"She's not a very good liar, is she? Let's go." Brooklyn looked around to see that while there were people outside, none of them were paying attention to them because they were running or helping other people trapped by the most recent bombs. "Should I set another one off now? Just to cover our exit?" She asked them, but wasn't really asking them. She pulled out a small device from her pocket and held it in her free hand.

"No!" Clarke yelled! "We'll go with you! Just stop this!"

"You're going with me no matter what. That's what being a hostage means, Clarke." Brooklyn explained.

Clarke looked behind Brooklyn and saw Indra standing there watching Brooklyn, waiting for her chance to strike, but she had no gun; only a sword. She made eye contact with Clarke and they exchanged words without exchanging words. Lexa caught Indra's eye too and Clarke felt her hand on her back. Clarke remembered that's where she kept her gun. She'd forgotten it in the hurry to find Lexa. Lexa lifted it out from behind Clarke's back without Brooklyn noticing. She fired it once at the ground behind them causing Brooklyn to turn her attention back to them and Indra took that as her signal. She reached for a smaller knife at her side and threw it at Brooklyn while Clarke grabbed Lexa and pushed her to the ground just in case Indra missed.

She didn't. It hit Brooklyn square in the shoulder, but it wasn't enough to knock her over entirely. Her body turned with the force of the knife and she fired in Indra's direction; hitting Indra in the arm, but she stood her ground. Another bullet flew in her direction, but she dove out of the way. Clarke regained her footing and lunged at Brooklyn, but Brooklyn swung around just in time and held the gun to Clarke's head.

"Not so fast, Sky Girl." Brooklyn winced and reached around to remove the knife from her shoulder. She turned back around to see Indra standing and she pushed Clarke in front of her so she could aim the gun at both of them. "Clarke is coming with me." She told Indra. "You can have the other one. She's basically gone anyway, but if you try to stop us, I will turn around and shoot your commander in the head and she'll definitely be gone."

"Indra, it's okay." Clarke told her. "Help Lexa."

"No, Indra! Don't let her take her." Lexa tried to yell from her spot on the ground. She was reaching for Clarke's gun, which was too far away.

"Indra, let me go. Save her." Clarke told the woman in front of her.

Indra had a choice to make. Her Commander, the one she'd sworn allegiance too long ago was dying, but had given her an order to resist. She could yell for support. Maybe soldiers would come, but maybe they wouldn't make it before Brooklyn shot Lexa. She stared at Clarke for a moment before nodding and stepping to the side, letting Brooklyn pass while grasping at Clarke's arm to force her forward.

Clarke turned back and nodded in gratitude at Indra before looking down at Lexa, who looked to be in tremendous pain. She mouthed 3 words while meeting her eyes. "I love you." They turned a corner and Lexa was no longer in sight. Clarke put her head down. She would die, but Lexa would live. Indra would see it that. Even if she were gone, Lexa would mount a defense and take Brooklyn down eventually. Clarke looked up knowing her death like this wouldn't separate the people as they had thought earlier, but would in fact unite the people under Lexa to fight Brooklyn and anyone else that might stand against them. She smiled knowing everyone would be okay. This was her purpose.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

Brooklyn took her by car to a house where she shoved her inside a small closet and locked it. A few minutes later, Clarke heard the door of the house open and close. She waited a few more minutes to be sure Brooklyn was gone before she started trying to make her escape. There was no light and nothing in the closet other than a few jackets hanging up. She tried to kick the door open, but there wasn't enough space in the closet for her to get the leverage she needed. She felt her own pockets for anything that could serve her purpose, but they were empty and Brooklyn had obviously taken her radio once they'd gotten in the car. She'd tossed it on the side of the road on their way here so no one could track it. After several tries, she finally gave up and sat on the floor holding her knees to her chest. She thought of Lexa and worried about the amount of blood she'd lost and the pain she'd seen in her eyes. Lexa had been so good never to show pain or much emotion at any time so the fact that Clarke could see it clearly, meant it must have been bad. She pressed her chin to her knee for a few moments before lifting her head back up and brushing against one of the hanging coats.

Her eyes went wide. She stood quickly and started looking. She'd checked her pockets, but not the pockets on the coats. Maybe there was something inside she could use. It was then that she looked up further and saw the coat hangers. Four of them were made of wire. She felt for the doorknob and it was the kind with the small hole that didn't require a real key. She had hope. She grabbed a hanger and bent it. She began working on the keyhole trying to pick the lock. She couldn't see much and was only guessing. She'd never had to pick a lock before.

Her hands started to hurt and she knew she wasn't making the progress she'd hoped for, but she kept at it. She had no idea how much time had passed, but when she finally heard a click and the door unlocked, she opened it quickly and then ran toward the front door to open it. The bright light hit her eyes and she squinted to see that she was in a deserted neighborhood. She looked around and saw no cars she could borrow to get to the hospital to check on Lexa. She knew she should get back to the city center to check on Kane and find a radio to see how Wick was doing, but she had to know if Lexa was all right. All she could do was run so she started off in the direction of her house. It was on the way to the hospital and there, she could pick up a radio and then stop by Raven and Wick's place, which was only a few doors down.

It took over 30 minutes of running flat out and when she finally arrived at the house to grab the radio, she had to stop to catch her breath. Before she was really ready, she ran over to Wick to check on his progress.

"Clarke! I've been trying to reach you. What happened to your radio?" He asked. She did have a radio on her hip. It just wasn't her radio.

"Long story. How are you doing? Any progress?" She asked, still trying to catch her breath.

"Some. I've got it put together how I need it. Now, I just have to find their frequency and jam it. That'll give us enough time to find and disarm all the bombs."

"How much longer?"  
"I don't know." He admitted. "I'm kind of making this up as I go along here."

"I've got to get to the hospital. Update me when you can. I'm taking the car." She ran out of the house before he could say anything. She hopped in the car and drove straight to the hospital. She ran into the building and scanned the space for Lexa or Abby or even Raven. She saw Abby over in a corner grabbing a tray with some supplies.

"Mom!" She yelled and ran toward her with what felt like the last of her energy.

"Clarke! You're okay!" Abby stated over the screams of people in pain as Clarke arrived in front of her.

"Lexa?" Clarke asked.

"She's in there."

Clarke ran to one of the rooms and stopped in the doorway. Indra was standing next to Lexa who looked to be unconscious.

"She needs blood." Indra told Clarke.

"I've sewed her up and given her pain medication. What little I could. We're running out and-"

"Take my blood." Clarke offered.

"What?" Abby asked.

"Take my blood."

"Clarke, you're type A and she's B. You can't donate. I need someone with B or O. Indra's AB. I already checked."

"I'm O." Bellamy came around the corner. "Take mine."

"You've already donated today, Bellamy." Abby stated. "We can't risk you losing anymore blood."

Bellamy did look pale and Clarke knew she had no right asking him to risk his life for Lexa.

"I'm good. Just do it."

"Bell-" Clarke actually stopped herself.

"Check on Octavia for me. And Lincoln." He asked her and walked into the room. "And then get back in the fight and stop those psychopaths." He looked at Indra. "You too. I'll stay with her." He offered.

Clarke walked over to Lexa and leaned down. She took her hand and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back." She whispered in her ear. "Ai hod you in." She let go of her hand quickly and rushed out of the room.

"Raven!" She yelled as she saw Raven run down the stairs.

"I heard you were here." Raven replied. "I came back with some injured people. I'm heading back out to help Wick."

"Help Kane. He's trying to disarm the bombs. Wick is back at your house trying to find a way to jam the frequency. How many more bombs have gone off? Do you know?" She asked

"I've heard 6. There are a few hundred injured. I don't know how many dead, but it could be a lot by now."

"Why doesn't she just blow us all up at once?" Clarke asked herself.

"My guess?"

"Yeah?"

"She's watching us move. She's got them stacked around this city and as people start moving in one direction, she sets one off. Better that way. She stands a chance of killing more of us than just blowing all the bombs at once."

"Where's York?" Clarke asked.

"He was still being a dick. I thought about knocking him out, but then one of the grounders beat me to it. He's unconscious upstairs. We moved him to a room that used to be there for prisoners. Bars on the window and two guards standing outside. He's got the cuffs on too. He's not going anywhere."

"Good. Let's go."

Clarke and Raven went back to the center of the city. Clarke kept her eye out for Brooklyn and the car she'd driven Clarke in. They found Kane working on a bomb. He was sweating and was undoubtedly nervous. He finished cutting the wires just as Clarke and Raven arrived.

"Nice job, Kane." Raven encouraged.

"Wick made this look easier than it really is. I could use some help."

"I got ya." Raven stole a glance around the center. "I'll head that way and see what I can find." Raven ran off.

"Show me what Wick taught you. I'll help."

"Clarke, you should help me." It was Indra. She must have returned from the hospital. "We must find the woman responsible for the Commander."

Clarke looked at Kane who nodded at her.

"Raven and I can handle this. You go."

"Okay." Clarke stood and ran to Indra.

"I thought you dead, Clarke of the Sky People. So did the Commander."

"I escaped." Clarke told her.

"Maybe you are worth following after all." Indra smirked.

"Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

"For not listening to Lexa earlier and saving her life."

"You owe me no thanks. I didn't do it for you. The Commander's life was in danger and it is my duty to-"

"Just take the thanks, Indra." Clarke grumbled.

They wandered around the center of the city for several minutes before Clarke heard another bomb go off. She started to run in that direction, but Indra stopped her.

"You can do nothing for them. We must find the one causing this and stop her."

"Wick, come in." Clarke said into the radio.

"I'm not done yet." Wick responded with obvious frustration in his tone.

"How much longer?"

"I don't know, Clarke. I'm close."

"Close to what?" Brooklyn asked from behind them. They'd been standing behind one of the buildings that was still left untouched by a bomb hoping to find her, but not wanting her to sneak up on them again. "You escaped? I'm impressed."

"You should have checked the closet before you locked me in there."

"Yeah well, you have my accomplice cousin locked up so I'm doing the work of two people right now. Had to cut some corners."

"I notice you don't have a gun, Brooklyn." Clarke pointed out.

Indra reached for her sword.

"I don't really need one. I've got this." She held up the detonator. "And as long as I have my finger on this trigger, you can't touch me."

"This can't really be what you want, Brooklyn." Clarke started. "All these people… if they live through today, do you really expect them to just follow you after all you've done?"

"They will or they'll face the consequences just like everyone else." She responded.

"Ai don sen in chit bilaik ai gaf sen in." _I've heard what I needed to hear._ Indra started to move toward Brooklyn. "It's time you die."

"I wouldn't." Brooklyn held up the detonator. "I hit this button and I can make all the bombs remaining in this place go off at once. You might have taken our hospital, but I knew what the supply level of everything was in this city before today so I know you're already running out. You'll lose more people because you can't repair their injuries or heal those inevitable pesky infections."

Indra stopped herself and stared down at Brooklyn. Clarke knew that the moment Indra had her chance, Brooklyn was dead.

"What made you this way?" Clarke asked.

"You wouldn't understand. You didn't grow up here. You don't know what it's like."

"Tell me then. Try to make me understand how you could think this was all okay." Clarke pleaded with her.

"What's the point? You and I both know there's nothing I could tell you that would redeem my actions in your mind. If I surrendered to you, you'd have me shot on sight or put up for display like you were going to do with everyone that tried to support us or Carolina today."

Clarke took a hesitant step toward her, but held out her hand to show that she wasn't planning anything.

"I grew up on the ark. Has anyone told you what that was like?" She asked.

"Carolina told us you'd been up there since the bombs." Brooklyn replied.

"We didn't know anyone survived. We thought we were what was left of humanity." Clarke began. "Things started to get bad before I was even born. Supplies running low, population control in effect, people being shot out the airlock because they violated the smallest laws. Any infraction warranted execution."

"Did you have a plague of unknown origin wipe through your town killing thousands of people and making it impossible for most of the rest of us to have children?"

"We had disease, illness, death. We had low oxygen too. We had people who went blind because we couldn't generate enough oxygen for them to breathe. My mother held the hands of countless as they died from things they shouldn't have had to suffer from because we couldn't provide. 100 teenagers like me were shot down here in the hopes that it was habitable; that we could survive it because the ark was dying and there was no other choice." She took a breath. "That's why I'm here. That's why we're all here." Clarke paused. Brooklyn appeared to be listening and squinted her eyes as if she was trying to take in what Clarke was saying. "I didn't get that back then." Clarke admitted mostly to herself. "When they took me from my cell and strapped me into the ship, I didn't get it. Now, I do."

"You were in a cell?" Brooklyn seemed intrigued.

"Oh yeah, I failed to mention that I was a criminal. I am a criminal. I helped my father spread the word on the ark that we were running out of air and there was nothing they could do. He was executed and I was put in solitary because I was underage. I spent a year in that cell… alone… waiting to be executed."

"Then, we are more alike than I thought, Clarke."

Indra was seething with all this talking. Clarke knew Lexa was more of a take action first and talk later if at all kind of leader.

"You're right. You've killed people. I've killed people. We are alike, but it's the differences that really matter in this case." She took another hesitant step toward Brooklyn who snapped to attention, but didn't move and didn't hit any buttons on her detonator. She was intrigued by the conversation and that was what Clarke was hoping for. "It's the nightmares that separate us. I have them. You don't." She paused. "I see the deaths of everyone I've killed on replay night after night. It's gotten better, but those visions will never really go away. It's something I'll always have to live with."

Brooklyn smirked.

"You are right then, Clarke. I see nothing when I close my eyes."

Clarke thought about that statement for a moment. She wondered about the nothing. She'd wished for nothing for a long time. Since the mountain and really even before, she'd hoped the visions would go away, but if the visions really did ever go away, she could end up like Brooklyn. She could end up like Lexa even before she met Clarke and realized there was more to life than endless war and emotion wasn't a weakness.

"I hope I always have these visions because I'd rather see them than the nothing you see. They remind me that I'm human and make mistakes; that my decisions matter and impact everyone around me; everyone I care about."

Brooklyn smirked again. Clarke was tired of seeing that smirk.

"Then, I think it's best we part here, Sky Girl." Brooklyn's smirk disappeared. "I've tried to get rid of the nothing, but with everything I've seen, holding the hands of my parents as they withered away from disease, watching my younger sister die of the same, there just _is_ nothing." Brooklyn took a step back. "You don't have to worry. The bombs won't touch us here. We'll survive and I have no doubt you and I will meet again soon." She held up the detonator and pressed the button.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

When nothing happened, Brooklyn stared at the detonator and pressed it again and again feverishly.

"Clarke, I think I got it." Wick's voice came from the radio.

Indra smiled.

Clarke grabbed it off her hip.

"Yeah, I know you did." Clarke stared at Brooklyn for a moment. She was still trying to make the detonator work magically. Indra checked in with Clarke and Clarke nodded at her. Indra lunged in the direction of the woman and knocked her to the ground. The detonator flew to the right and Clarke rushed to grab it. She shoved it in her pocket and grabbed her radio again. "Wick, I've got the detonator and we've got Brooklyn."

"I would end your life, but that honor belongs to the Commander." Indra told Brooklyn as she pulled her off the ground and held her hands behind her back. Clarke's gun was shoved behind her back again as she looked to the sky and let in a deep breath of air that was not fresh, but filled with smoke and burning rubber among other distasteful scents, but at least she could actually breathe.

"Indra, I have to-"

"Return to the Commander." Indra finished. "Go. I will hold onto this one and make sure she is heavily guarded."

"Thank you."

"Clarke, just kill me." Brooklyn begged. "You know it's going to happen anyway so just do it."

Clarke walked toward her.

"Why? Because that would end your pain?" She asked. "You don't deserve to have your pain ended. You and York will have to answer to everyone; not just me." She paused. "You brought this on yourself, Brooklyn. Your people invited us here and we could have co-existed, but Carolina had secret plans and you and York decided to have secret agendas of your own. This city belongs to us now. Skaikru en Trikru." She looked at Indra. "Sky People and Tree People. All of the clans will be united here and you will not be a part of it."

Brooklyn stared at her.

"Clarke, you should know something before you run off." Brooklyn said with a tone in her voice Clarke was familiar with and had her concerned. "I've never trusted my idiot cousin to follow through on anything."

"Enough, girl!" Indra ordered.

"I always have a back up plan."

Clarke wasn't sure what she meant by that and Brooklyn wasn't saying anymore. Indra pulled her away and Clarke ran as fast as she could. She needed to get back to the hospital to check on Lexa.

When she arrived, she saw an extremely pale Bellamy sitting in a chair next to Lexa. His eyes were closed and she worried for a moment that he might be unconscious, but when he heard her footsteps in the room, he opened them slowly.

"Hey."

"Bell, are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Your mom's taking care of me. I just have to take things easy for a while. No sudden movements. No fighting in battles for a few days. That kind of a thing."

"And no more giving blood." Abby stated as she walked in. "Raven said Wick disabled the bombs." She said to Clarke.

"Yeah, he worked a miracle and I stalled Brooklyn long enough. We've got her, mom."

"Good. Then, it's all over?" Abby asked as she walked over to Lexa's bed.

"I don't-" Clarke started.

"Clarke?" It was Lexa's small voice. Her eyes were slowly opening.

Clarke rushed to her side.

"I'm here."

"What happened?"

"It's okay. You're okay." She took her hand gently. "Right?" She turned to Abby.

"Bellamy was kind enough to give you some of his blood. You should be okay, but you have to take it easy for a while. Same rules I gave Bellamy here. No more running around, no more fighting. You need to heal."

"What about-"

"We got her." Clarke told her and used her free hand to touch Lexa's face. It was still pale beneath the dirt, but she was looking slightly better. "Wick disabled the bombs. He's got Kane and some others walking the city to find them so we can destroy them, but they're not active anymore."

"Good." Lexa responded.

"And Indra has Brooklyn. York's upstairs under guard."

"We have to gather the people. We have to tell them." Lexa attempted to sit up.

"Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" Abby questioned.

"I have to-"

"Lex, you can't go anywhere." Clarke told her and lightly pressed her back into her lying down position. "Can you guys give us a minute?" She asked of Abby and Bellamy.

"Sure. Come on, Bellamy." Abby walked over to him and wheeled him out of the room. It was then that Clarke noticed he was sitting in a wheel chair. The blood loss must have weakened him pretty severely. She made a mental note to thank him again later for what he'd done for Lexa.

Once they were gone, Clarke climbed into the bed with Lexa and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You have to trust that I can handle this. I need you to get better."

"I do trust you, Clarke." Lexa muttered softly with her eyes closed. "But I can't just lie here."

"That's all you can do actually." Clarke held Lexa's face with one hand and had her turn to look at her. "Just let my mom take care of you and-"

"Abby is taking care of me? Maybe she'll just kill me so you can find someone else." Lexa tried to joke. Clarke saw a small smile creep on the girl's face.

"Don't say stuff like that right now." She objected. "My mom saved your life. If she wanted to kill you, I think she would have done it by…" Clarke faded as she watched the lights in the hospital go out. Everything, including all the machines Lexa was hooked up to turned off immediately. She climbed out of the bed.

"What happened?" Lexa asked.

Clarke took a second to look around the room and then walked out to see that the power was off in the whole place and she watched as the people trying to help the injured began to show real concern when it didn't kick back on. Clarke looked at her mother who was trying to turn machines back on.

"Brooklyn's back up plan."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34:

"She must have had another EMP." Raven explained from inside Lexa's hospital room. Abby was running around the first floor of the hospital trying to help people without power. Raven and Bellamy were sitting on the floor of the room. Clarke was standing next to Lexa so she could keep an eye on her.

"You said that was unnecessary." Clarke reminded her.

"It was." Raven started. "She didn't need it. If the first one would have gone off, it would have wiped out the whole place just like this one did."

"She didn't trust York to handle it."

"Obviously." Raven shared. "She really is a bitch."

"What are we going to do?" Clarke asked the room.

"There's nothing we can do. Everything's been wiped. It'll take a lot of work to get the plant up and running again. Wick and I can't do it ourselves. We'll need help and sleep, Clarke. We need sleep. We haven't stopped since-"

"I know. I know." Clarke felt Lexa's hand on her arm.

"Raven, can anything be done to fix it today?" She asked.

"Today? No way! It'll take weeks. I mean, I'm just guessing here. I don't know what their setup is like, but I can tell you it's not something we can just fix. There's no switch to flip because even the switch is dead."

"Then, all we can do is help anyone that needs it today." Lexa explained.

"I can check on Octavia and Lincoln and then try to help Abby out." Bellamy stood.

"As long as that help doesn't involve giving anymore blood." Raven told him.

"We need to regroup." Clarke explained. "Let's meet at the house and start trying to figure out-"

"Clarke, just help your mom." Lexa said. "There's nothing else we can do right now."

Clarke looked down at Lexa's face, which had more and more color returning to it despite the fact that without lights, it was harder to see and without machines, Clarke was worried Lexa might take a turn.

"She must be on some good pain meds to suggest we don't take action today." Raven stated. "I'm out. Gonna grab Wick and help where we can until Lexa snaps to and changes her mind."

Raven and Bellamy left the room.

"Lexa-"

"Clarke, I'm going to be fine. You need to go help your mom. We can deal with the power after we know who's alive and who's-"

"Dead?" Clarke asked her.

Lexa tried again to sit up and Clarke decided not to try to stop her this time.

"York and Brooklyn and the trials can wait. We can figure out what to do with this city once everything calms back down. The important thing is that we're no longer at war."

"I know I should help, but I don't want to leave you."

"My leg feels fine and-"

"My mom gave you pain killers."

"I want to go home, Clarke. I don't want to be here when I can't do anything to help these people. I can hear them calling out in pain, but I can do nothing to help them. With the power gone, there's nothing I need here that I can't get at home."

"Except for a doctor, Lexa."

"I will have someone send for Atami or another healer later… after."

Clarke knew she was referring to the time after they'd get the full body count for the day. There would be more deaths. Abby could only do so much now. She'd never really worked without some kind of power before.

"I'll take you home and then I'll come back."

"No you won't." Lexa told her. "You won't want to leave me once we're there. You stay here and I'll have someone else take me and we will talk about how you left with Brooklyn earlier."

"I left with Brooklyn so she wouldn't detonate another bomb and kill more of people." She recalled the mountain when Lexa made the choice to save her people over Clarke. She had to admit to herself that she understood more than ever Lexa's decision. "I also had to so Indra could get you here. It was the only choice."

"It was dangerous, Clarke."

"I also ran into a building after a bomb went off to find you, Lexa. I love you. You're just going to have to accept that that means sometimes I might risk my life to save your life."

"Clarke-"

"No, we're not arguing about-"

"Clarke!" Lexa stopped her. "I don't want to argue. I wanted to thank you."

Clarke wasn't sure what to think.

"Raven was right. Whatever drugs my mom has you on are working."

"This is not a joke." Lexa replied with a straight face.

"I know." Clarke started to wipe the dirt off of her cheek. "You rarely joke."

Lexa seemed offended for a moment before she let out a small smile.

"You saved so many people today. They would have been lost without you." She told Clarke. "Go save some more. I'll be okay."

"I'll get someone to take you home and I'll be there as soon as I can." Clarke kissed her gently and walked out of the room to go back to join the real world where people were crying out in pain and dying because the machine that was breathing for them no longer worked.

Clarke, Abby, Bellamy, Kane, Raven, Wick and Octavia sat in what used to be an office on the empty third floor of the hospital. It had been several hours and the exhaustion was reading on everyone's face. Clarke was leaning back against the wall and Octavia was sitting next to her. She had gashes all over her body and a wound on her head that had been bandaged.

"How's Lincoln?" Clarke asked her.

"He'll be okay. He's still asleep, but Abby said he's going to be fine. We're just waiting for some swelling to go down." She looked over at Clarke. "Lexa?"

"She'll be okay. Bellamy really came through today."

"For both of us." Octavia looked over at her brother and referenced the fact that he'd given his blood to her as well.

"So, what now?" Bellamy asked.

"I vote for sleep." Raven shared.

"Amen." Wick agreed.

"I'll stay behind and keep an eye on the patients." Abby offered.

"You're human too. You need sleep, Abby." Raven told her.

"I'll stay." Clarke offered.

"Clarke, Lexa needs you. Go home. I'll check on everyone and then sleep in one of the empty rooms upstairs. It's fine. I'd prefer it. I don't think I can sleep anywhere else. I'd be too worried they'd need me and I wouldn't be here to help." Abby shared.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Go be with Lexa. Octavia, you need to get back to bed and Bellamy, I want you to stay here overnight too so I can keep an eye on you. We'll get you setup with a room. Octavia, I assume you want to-"

"Stay with Lincoln? Yeah." Octavia interrupted.

"Okay." Abby stood. "Bellamy, no arguing from you."

"Understood, doc." Bellamy agreed. He was still a bit woozy and lacked his usual fire.

"Is there a car outside we can take?" Clarke asked Wick.

"Most of the cars had computers running them so…"

"So they don't work anymore either?" Clarke asked.

"Not right now. We can probably fix some of them up, but we're walking tonight." Wick explained. "Makes more sense than trying to find one that would work. We'd waste more time and energy doing that."

"Great. My legs barely function right now." Raven added. They started walking, leaving Kane behind with Clarke.

"Kane, thanks for today."

"For what?"

"You saved a lot of people today." Clarke told him.

"So did you, Chancellor." He acknowledged with a gentle smile. "Come on. Let's get out of here."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35:

Clarke arrived at her bedroom after the long, laborious walk. She saw Lexa lying there with Atami passed out in a chair and was glad that the favored healer had survived the day. She woke her and told her to stay the night and got her set up in one of the other rooms. Wick had explained that the water ran on power so there was no hope of taking a long, hot shower so she just crashed into the bed, but did so carefully so as not to wake Lexa, who needed all the rest she could get.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she felt Lexa's hand grazing her cheek and slowly opened her eyes.

"We survived another day." Lexa greeted her.

"We survived another war." Clarke felt the need to correct.

"And now we can do more than just survive." Lexa leaned in and captured Clarke's lips for a kiss. Clarke could feel her trying to move closer, but her leg was wrapped with something, so she was unable. She decided to climb on top of her instead and continue kissing her, carefully trying not to hurt her already injured leg. It seemed like only seconds ago she was worried she'd lost her forever and now she could stay on top of her and kiss her forever. She heard Lexa wince and lifted her head.

"Did I hurt you?" Clarke looked down at her leg, but couldn't see anything through the wrap.

"I'm okay. It was worth it." Lexa's arms wrapped around Clarke's back and she pulled her back in. Clarke kissed her gently this time and then hovered over her.

"What are we going to do?" Clarke asked her.

"Get through it like we do everything else." Lexa replied and ran her hand through Clarke's hair.

"We can't take showers anymore." Clarke reminded her.

"You forget, Clarke of the Sky People that I am Lexa, Commander of the Tree People and the alliance."

"So…"

"So, we've never been able to take showers or cook on stoves like this. We had no heat other than the fire and our furs. My people are used to this. We can help your people adjust while we work to repair everything."

"The weather will get colder and we have a lot of injured people."

"We'll do the best we can to save them, but they knew the risk they took in coming here." Lexa told her.

"What about the people back at the capital? Wick told me the planes are just like the cars. They won't fly. We can't go get them."

"Then, we will wait until they do fly. We will find a way to let them know that we will send for them when we can." Lexa paused and brushed Clarke's back with her hand. "They are used to the weather and I will instruct my people to help your people get through the winter if we must wait until the thaw to retrieve them."

Clarke kissed her again.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I couldn't do this without you."

"You did do this without me." Lexa reminded. "You stopped York and Brooklyn without me. You ended a day of bloodshed without me. Clarke, I don't really want to bring this up again, but you stopped the mountain men without me. You don't need me to help you lead. You lead all on your own."

"I do need you." Clarke rolled off of her and faced her. "The decisions I had to make…" Clarke trailed off.

"Remember, Chon yu bilaik en chon yu gaf in bilaik na kik thru, emo laik tu krei noseim diyo." Lexa stated.

"I don't know that one." Clarke expressed.

"It means who you are and who you need to be to survive are two different things, Clarke. The decisions you had to make were to save the right people. If that meant that the wrong people had to die, then so be it."

"I didn't kill them though."  
Lexa took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out.

"And you shouldn't have." She stated and witnessed Clarke's surprise at that comment. "They deserve to die. Both of them and everyone that helped them."

"The Ice Queen, for example?"

"What will their deaths bring?" Lexa asked and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "We should kill them. It will bring us safety from whatever they might try to throw at us in the future, but perhaps keeping them locked away is a better punishment for all of them."

"What about your people? They expect executions. Blood must have blood."

"When I am well, I will explain it to them."

"The alliance?"

"I will present the options to the alliance in time. If the success of the alliance depends on whether we execute a few people, the alliance was never going to be successful."

"We lost." Clarke said with defeat obvious in her tone.

Lexa looked at her with confusion.

"No Clarke, we won." She leaned in and kissed her lightly before pulling back. "We lost people, but that is war. We may lose more before this day is out, but we are not defeated. We will rebuild what we have lost. Our people will survive because of what you did today. Because of what you've done all along." She slid her hand down Clarke's bare, but dirt covered arm. "We won. We are together."

Three days later, the alliance met with Lexa almost recovered and able to walk on her own with a limp and Clarke feeling more rested despite the long hours she'd put in at the hospital helping the injured and in the city helping to locate victims or clean up debris.

"We have three options." Lexa shared before the group that sat in one of the now abandoned government buildings that had not been hit by a bomb.

"We have one option." One of the clan leaders offered the group. "They must all die for what they have done."

"My brother is dead." Another leader said. "Her sister, his daughter." He pointed at two other members sitting in the circle.

"We _can_ execute them all." Lexa stated. "We can also leave them where they are; locked up with no chance of getting out or we can banish them from the city."

"And what?" Patrol the border? What if they come back with an army of their own?"

"There are more people out there. We know that now." Another leader agreed. "Other clans, cities. They could bring a force back and-"

"That is true." Lexa acquiesced. "That's why it is an option and not an order. We should discuss all options." Her face paint was black and across her eyes. She was wearing a shirt that revealed part of the tattoo on her chest, revealing her connection to Clarke, but otherwise was dressed in her regular battle clothes.

"We will discuss nothing!" A leader shouted and then stood.

"Silence!" Indra yelled from her position behind, but between Clarke and Lexa. "The Commander is speaking."

The room fell silent and Lexa stared at each person sitting in their chairs and their seconds, which stood behind them.

"All clans are united in this new place. Those of us from the ground…" She looked toward Clarke, but did not meet her eye. "And those of us from the sky." She looked back out at the group. "We have an opportunity to start anew. No more war, no more blood lost on the field of battle and no more sisters, brothers or daughters gone because we lived by the motto blood must have blood." She paused for a moment as if to consider her next words carefully. "I too have believed in that and lived by it. I ruled by it, but I have tired of war. I have tired of spilling blood and wish to rule this city-" She cut out abruptly and looked over at Clarke again, this time making eye contact. Clarke smiled shyly at her. "With fairness." Lexa finished. "I wish for all of you to join me and the alliance in this new undertaking as it will be a change for our people, but I understand if you cannot. If you wish, you may leave the city and return to the capital with your people or seek new lands. You will come to no harm."

"You expect nations of warring clans to stop warring?" A second spoke up behind their leader, but the leader waved her hand and her second bowed her head in obedience.

"My clan has seen much death this day." That same leader spoke up. "I fought for this city and have no intention of fleeing." She continued. She paused and Clarke worried she would start a new war with her next sentence. "I too am tired of war. I will accept your terms and recommend fairness for the guilty."

"Ai don sen in chit bilaik ai gaf sen in _._ " _I've heard what I need to hear._ A leader yelled and stood. "My people will not remain here if this is your choice, Commander. We have fought our whole lives. It is what we know and I will not-"

"You may go." Lexa interrupted. "You and your people may go. Immediately. You're role in the alliance is dissolved. You will be on your way by sunrise and there will be no settlements within 500 miles of this city."

"Comma-" He interrupted her back.

"If you come close to the city again, I will assume you mean us harm and will take action." She stated with confidence. "And make no mistake, Nero." She stared him down. "Even though we will no longer seek out war, we will be prepared if it comes our way. Gon we." _Leave._ "Anyone who feels the same will receive the same in return so you should leave the city now."

Clarke watched as two other leaders stood and glared in Lexa's direction. They turned in succession and walked out with their seconds in tow.

"Anyone else?" Lexa asked. No one said anything. "Anyone remaining in the city beyond tomorrow's sunrise will be expected to follow the new laws of this city."

"Who makes those new laws?" A clan leader asked.

"For now, we will." Lexa replied. "All of us." Lexa looked at Clarke for help.

"We'll vote." Clarke started. "We'll be a council and we'll vote. We can outline the new government from there. All clans will have representation."

"But Lexa will remain the Commander." Indra stated.

"No." The woman who originally spoke in favor of Lexa's argument stood and stated. "We only got this far because of someone else, Clarke of the Sky People." She finished. Clarke turned toward Lexa not knowing what to say. "It was the two of you together that led us here. You are bonded as one and if there is a vote, my vote is that you rule this new city and its new laws together." She looked around the room.

"You've been doing it all along anyway, so I will agree." An older clan leader with a long, white beard nodded in agreement. There were a few more nods. Some were more reluctant than others, but there were enough nods to make it official.

"Very well." Lexa began. "The first vote of our new city has been completed. Clarke and I will rule as one." Lexa looked over at Clarke. "The rest can be sorted out after we've all had time to regroup. See to your people. Those that need aid, provide it and let Indra and her soldiers-" She stopped. "Her staff know if there is something you are without. She will see to it. Begin seeking out skilled laborers to assist in rebuilding what we lost in this battle. We will need the power restored to regain our running water. We will need farmers to grow the food. We will need healers to assist in the hospital."

"And what of the traitors?" The old man asked. "What's to be done with them in this new society?"

"I have an idea." Clarke stated and they all looked to her. "They will remain locked up until we are able to restore the planes and get enough gasoline to fly them across an ocean. We'll leave them there."

"Exile?" A leader asked.

"Exile with no chance they can return." Clarke responded.

"Shall we put it to a vote?" The old man asked the group.

"No need." The woman replied. "If there's no chance they can return and they have no supplies, they will die anyway and it will undoubtedly be slow and painful. It is the best solution."

"Share this with your people and tell them we will need volunteers to ride to the capital to retrieve those who want to join us. Those who wish to stay may do so. Instead of executions, we will reconvene in a few days and we will have a celebration, a feast for everyone in honor of our new home." Everyone nodded in agreement and began to shuffle out of the room. Lexa waited for everyone to be gone with the exception of Indra and Clarke. "Indra, send your most trusted warriors out in secret. Have them watch the people and make sure the leaders that agreed today truly agreed and aren't planning to revolt. Report back to Clarke and I if you encounter any trouble."

"Yes, Commander." Indra obeyed and then looked at Clarke. "I mean, yes, Commanders." She nodded in Clarke's direction and quickly walked out of the room.

"It is official now. You and I will rule the alliance side by side." Lexa restated.

"And are you okay with that? Sharing a throne?" Clarke asked her, turning toward her.

"You can sit on my lap." Lexa smiled.

"It's nice to hear you joking. It's nice to see you smile." She placed her hand on Lexa's cheek.

"I no longer wish for a throne, Clarke. That is what led Carolina down her path, her quest for more power. Brooklyn and York were the same. Glacia too joined them because she wanted to be in charge."

"You don't want to be in charge?" Clarke asked her.

"We were both born for this. We are the leaders our people have chosen and we will lead together, but we will do so because we must, not because we crave the power that comes with the rule."

Clarke smiled at her.

"I should go tell my mother about this development and the other Sky People too." Lexa faltered on her still injured leg. "But first, I'm going to take you home because you still need to rest."

"I'm fine, Clarke."

"If you're going to be at this celebration you just promised, you need to rest up first. Commander's orders." Clarke joked with her and watched her smile again.

"The power's already getting to your head, Sky Girl." Lexa replied.

"That's Co-Commander Sky Girl to you." Clarke paused. "That still sounds weird. Maybe you're the Commander and I'm the Chancellor."

Lexa smiled and nodded in agreement.

"One an expert in wartime and the other an expert in peacetime. Balance for the people."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36:

Three days later, Clarke was sitting with Lexa on the edge of the bed watching as the healer re-wrapped her leg.

"It looks a lot better." She said.

"Feels a lot better too."

"Put one time today and tomorrow." Atami attempted in the broken English she'd ben learning since relocating to the city. "Back to check after feast. Heda healed better then." She explained and held out a bottle of some medicine she'd been applying to Lexa's leg since she was bought home from the hospital. Abby had checked it out. It was basically a numbing, anti-inflammatory made from herbs gathered in the woods. Abby marveled at its ability to stave off infection and considered including it in the hospital's inventory since they were running so low on the standard medicines she was accustomed too.

"Thank you." Clarke took the bottle and the healer grabbed her bag and left the room.

"How are the plans for the feast?" Lexa asked her.

Clarke set the bottle down on the table next to the bed and more to lie beside Lexa, turning to face her.

"They're fine." She placed her hand again on Lexa's cheek and ran her fingers along her jaw. "You know, if things go how we hope they go here, you won't ever have to wear that black war paint again."

Lexa smiled.

"And you won't have to fire a gun again or add to your nightmares." Lexa reached over and pulled Clarke in closer to her. "We can make this work, Clarke."

"It's going to be hard. Not everyone will just agree. Indra's already seen some people fighting over food."

"And they were jailed because of it. We will set examples and the people will fall in line or they will be imprisoned or exiled."

"I'm worried winter will come before we can get everyone here from the capital."

"My people are used to the harsh winters, remember? They will help your people get through it, Clarke. By spring, the ground will thaw and we will grow crops and have the power up and running and have the cars and planes working again. We'll have a system in place to govern."

"That all sounds really nice." Clarke told her and placed her hand on Lexa's hip. "You've gotten optimistic. I never thought I would have said that about you."

"The thought of peace has changed my mood." Lexa replied.

"We have a meeting with the council the day after tomorrow to discuss job assignments. We may not have enough skilled people to help with the plant and the dam."

"We will worry about that then, Clarke. I want one night with you where we are not worrying about the future of-"

"Humanity?" Clarke completed. "The healer said you needed to rest."

"The night I was speaking of is tomorrow night." Lexa started. "I want to go to the celebration with you and leave all worry behind."

"That sounds nice too."

"Lincoln came to me this afternoon." Lexa explained and rolled over on her back, straightening her leg.

"How is he?" Clarke asked. She knew he was out of the hospital, but she hadn't seen him since he was unconscious.

"He has improved. He sought my permission for something and I granted it only to realize that it is no longer my decision to grant these things as you and I rule together now."

"What did he want permission for?" Clarke asked.

"He wishes to bond with Octavia."

"Oh. Wow."

"He asked to have the ceremony done at the feast tomorrow night. I'd given my permission earlier, but that was before the battle and he wants to do it sooner than he expected he would. My assumption is that his near death experience made him want to bond with Octavia as soon as possible."

"What about the rest of the tradition?" Clarke questioned.

"We can make our own traditions now. They will be new as this city is new." Lexa looked over at Clarke.

"Does Octavia know about this?" Clarke asked.

"He was on his way to her after I granted permission. I assume you do not have a problem with it. If so, I can-"

"Of course not." Clarke interjected. "If it's what they want, then I'm happy for them. I don't think anyone needs my permission to bond."

"It will add to the celebration." Lexa expressed. "I look forward to when you and I can also share in their happiness."

Clarke's eyes met Lexa's and she reached inside them with her mind to try to understand what Lexa meant by that.

"To your people, we're already bonded, Lexa."

Lexa's shy smile returned.

"They are our people now, Clarke."

"Yeah." Clarke absentmindedly agreed.

"I thought you had accepted your position as Chancellor."

"I have." Clarke sighed. "It's just still hard to wrap my head around it all. I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Lexa looked at her confused.

"I don't know that expression."

"It just means I haven't adjusted to the idea that there's no more war. I'm still waiting for someone to come after us… all of this."

"And they will."

"That's not comforting." Clarke squinted at her.

"If you're here for comforting, you're in the wrong place, Clarke. Someone will come after us again for what we have. It is the way of this world, but we will be prepared. We will get our army ready, we will rebuild this city and our people from Camp Jaha and the capital and other villages will eventually make their way here to make us stronger. We will have the power back on soon; we will have gasoline for the cars. We will have food and hunt what we cannot grow. We will have a life, Clarke."

Clarke thought for a moment about what Lexa was saying and how far they'd come. They first met when their people were at war. It was Lexa that demanded Finn's death and almost cost Raven hers. They'd began a shaky alliance and when the missile crushed 250 of their people, they grew closer until Lexa kissed her for the first time and confessed feelings for Clarke above all others. When the betrayal came at the mountain, Clarke was terrified she'd led her people to their deaths, but there was a moment when she wondered about her life without Lexa in it. The pang of heartache crept in and she forgot about everything else in that moment.

She never intended to see her again, but her walk led her straight to the capital where Lexa awaited her and managed to win her over again despite Clarke's initial reservations. They'd both given into their feelings and had to admit that this was how it was supposed to be. As Clarke looked at her now, she realized once again that while Abby had been concerned Lexa was changing Clarke for the worst; she was really making her stronger. They'd changed each other in that way. She no longer needed that time apart, that time to think on her own.

"When things die down again after the celebration and after Octavia and Lincoln bond… assuming she says yes…" She added with a smile. "Let's…" She paused not really knowing how to say what she was trying to say given all they'd been through together. She didn't want it to be trivial, but she already felt so connected to the girl in front of her that she almost felt a ceremony redundant. "Let's find a way to celebrate us."

"Celebrate?" Lexa smiled.

"Yes, celebrate."

"Formally? Or is that too much? You've been avoiding answering." Lexa queried.

Clarke smiled at her and grazed her cheek with her fingertips.

"Formally. Informally. Whatever we want. We'll figure it out together. It won't be forced by some worry your people won't accept me. It won't be objected to because we're too young or because it's too fast. It won't be because we've been through war together and come out the other side. It won't be because one or both of us was fleeing something we didn't want to remember. It will be because we love each other." Clarke paused to take in the glow of Lexa's bright eyes. She thought of those nights she spent on her own outside before arriving at the capital. She'd felt like running many times since the council decided to ship her to the ground. The pressure of being a leader to her people had seemed like too much time and time again. When she finally did leave, she felt she had no choice. She could not be what they needed. Yet, after this battle, she felt as if she was the only one that could do the job as long as she had Lexa by her side. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Ai nou na teik yu bants nowe." _I'm never going to let you go._ Lexa leaned in and kissed Clarke deeply. When she pulled back, she pressed her lips gently to Clarke's forehead. "I heard one of the Sky People say something once. I think it fits here."

"What?"

"You are stuck with me." Lexa responded.

Clarke laughed at her and pulled her in.

"There's no one I'd rather be stuck with."

Lexa winced as her leg brushed up against Clarke's; her wound not yet fully healed. Clarke pressed her hand against the spot just above the bandage and looked down at it while resting her head on her other elbow. Lexa watched as Clarke cared for her and felt the pain in her leg dissipate.

"You were right." Lexa told her. "Hodnes laik uf." _Love is strength._

The End


	37. Epilogue

Epilogue:

The spring thaw had started with short bursts followed by light snows until finally, the snow stopped and the white had turned into the dark brown of the soil beneath and then the water ran off altogether and the people of the city were left with dry land and the need to begin filling it with crops that could be used to resupply the desolate market that had long ago run out of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Lexa had been right. The grounders were used to the weather and getting through harsh winters. They had helped the others acclimate to the climate and the supply shortage while the weather ravaged the town without power and running water. In a way, it was a good thing that the people had one harsher element to endure. It brought them all much closer together and helped to solidify the relationship between the former warring tribes.

There were only 8 tribes left including the Sky People. The others had fled as Lexa had ordered them to do. They had no news of them, but Clarke suspected many casualties had likely occurred on the long, laborious trek back to their native lands. The traveling between Jaha, the capital and the city had stopped and would only begin again once they had enough fuel for the planes to make enough trips to get everyone. They'd made the decision not to start the process until they knew they could bring all willing parties and had at least something of benefit to offer them.

It took a few months as Raven had professed to get the plant up and running again. Clarke suspected that it would have taken half the time had Raven had real skilled engineers and workers, but she spent at least one month of her time training people to do what she and Wick needed them to do. Once the work really began, they were able to first get the water back, but it was rationed while they continued work on the dam that powered it. There was no hot water for the first couple of months until finally they were able to have hot showers. Clarke and Lexa set a 5-minute per house occupant limit. It had only been recently that they'd relaxed the water rations a little. The people needed something positive to help them continue on and while they couldn't take off the restrictions entirely due to the influx of people they were about to endure, the 20 minutes of hot water per person per household put smiles on the faces of people as they walked through the town.

The fuel had been a project Wick and Monty ran together. Monty was the technical guy while Wick worked on the engineering of it all. Jasper helped by directing the training where he could. He'd seemed happier recently. Clarke noticed him talking to one of the grounder women and they were both laughing. It had been almost a year since the mountain and the pain he felt for his loss. Clarke guessed he was moving on and she was happy for him. It helped free her of the guilt at the deaths she caused by her actions that day.

Abby had been hard at work at the hospital. Clarke was sure her mother hadn't taken a day off since she'd been here. It just wasn't in her nature to rest while others worked. Clarke was starting to see more and more of her mother in herself the older she got. Abby had reorganized the hospital to make better use of the facilities and equipment. She'd managed to run it rather smoothly while there was no power and everything was fried. They'd lost people. Clarke had no way of knowing exactly how many, but she suspected that of the original group of 250+ that had arrived with them initially, there were less than 100 left. Some died during the battles and bombs and others lost battles to sickness and infection. Of the group of original city inhabitants, there were about 45 left in the city; over 50 if you count those locked up in the city jail awaiting their long flight from which they will not return. Glacia, York and Brooklyn had been locked away since that day. Their supporters had been locked away as well and Clarke and Lexa had asked the council, which now had additional members, to banish them as well for the safety of the city. The council, which now included Indra and Atami from Lexa's clan, and two people from each of the other clans, also included Bellamy and Kane from the Sky People. Clarke had asked each of them for different reasons. Bellamy had always been a good sounding board and had been smart in his decisions after the initial issues they'd had upon arriving. Kane had the experience of being a leader on the ark and of the harsh realities that meant. He'd be a good advisor and would make sure they didn't repeat history. Jaha and the others still had not been heard of and Clarke and the council were suspecting they might never be. They always left a light on in the city center as a beacon just in case and Monty and Jasper had worked on a message that always ran on a frequency Jaha and the others might check if they got close enough to the city. Abby hadn't been offered the position because Clarke knew she would decline. She had found her place at the hospital and was thriving there.

Everyone had his or her place in the city. They had their jobs and their homes and families. The government was stable and when Raven and Wick finally switched the power back on, there had been a celebration. Clarke and Lexa watched as people from different clans came together and hugged one another gratefully knowing that the work they had done had contributed to the outcome. There would be warmth and food again. The gasoline would be replenished in the cars and driving lessons would begin. The original city people would teach those and with the sun and the thawing ground came the smiles on the faces of the people Clarke had somehow been placed in charge of.

"It is time." Lexa told her. "Are you ready?" She asked Clarke, looking over at her.

They stood on the hot pavement of the airfield. The small plane had been started and checked and re-checked for the past week to ensure it was safe for Warner, their trusted pilot to deliver their captives to their future home and return safely. He'd brought with him enough fuel and some extra just in case to make the journey and Bellamy had requested he join him as his co-pilot. He'd been trying to learn how to fly so he could help with the trips back and forth. This would be a good test for him. He'd also be in charge of re-fueling mid-flight, as Monty had altered the fuel tank to allow for that. The large plane still required additional work. The electronics on it had been fried beyond repair in come cases and now that Raven had fixed the water and power situation, she could begin tackling the other issues throughout the city. She'd been taking Jasper and a couple of others out to train them on some of the easier things so she could delegate them out.

Clarke had been extremely impressed with Raven. Her work ethic was evident in everything she did. She'd moved into one of the smaller houses by herself at first and Clarke worried about her. She'd never really had time to heal from the loss of Finn and her own encountered traumas, but Clarke saw her start smiling again the day they first fixed the water and then more and more each day after. She'd turned from hard-working recluse to a valued member of the society and had recently made the decision to move in with Wick closer to the town's center.

Clarke watched as Glacia, York and Brooklyn were walked to the plane in handcuffs. They all looked very thin. They'd had enough food to make it through the winter thanks to the hunting parties that went out regularly and returned with game and plants that could survive the harsh climate and Clarke had made sure the prisoners were fed, but it seemed the stress of their situation had impacted each of them even if their pride would never let them admit it. They were walked past the two leaders of the city and while York kept his head down, Glacia glared at Lexa.

"I expected more of you, Lexa." She shared. "You should have killed me when you had the chance. I will find my way back."

"Yu gonplei ste odon, Glacia of the Azgeda." Lexa made eye contact and told her before looking off at the plane, which roared waiting for its passengers.

Glacia said nothing else. Brooklyn first walked past Clarke and then turned around to look at her. Her expression wasn't of anger or frustration, but of fear and concern. Clarke considered the punishment they'd decided on together all those months ago and took in Brooklyn's expression, reconsidering it. Brooklyn turned back around to face the plane after getting nothing from Clarke. Clarke knew this was the only solution. It gave them a chance at a life somewhere without risking the safety of the city and the people she'd been tasked with caring for.

The passengers made their reluctant way toward the aircraft and Lexa took Clarke's hand as they watched together.

"We're making the right choice, aren't we?" Clarke asked the rhetorical question.

"We must end this chapter so that we might begin another, Clarke." Lexa returned and looked on as the group boarded the plane.

"We're all set." Bellamy approached. "Should take us about 14 hours one-way and about 12 back depending on the wind.

"Look at you, master pilot." Clarke mocked.

"Warner's a good teacher and I like flying." Bellamy replied. "We'll drop them and I'll take lead on the return flight so Warner can sleep. If we're not back in 30 hours though…" He trailed off.

"Bell, you'll be back."

"Just… uh… if something goes… just take care of Octavia for me." He stated nervously.

"I think her husband will take care of her, Bell."

"Just look out for her." He retorted.

"Always." Clarke brought him in for a brief hug feeling confident he would return with Warner and all would be fine.

Bellamy walked off and hustled to the plane. Warner was already on board and he waved in Clarke's direction before starting to drive the plane down the still slightly overgrown runway.

"I missed it." Octavia ran up behind them. She was out of breath and looked ahead with her hand over her eyebrows trying to stare into the sun and look for Bellamy in the plane. "I was late."

"He'll be back, Octavia." Clarke insisted.

"I know. I still wanted to say good bye though." Octavia caught a glimpse of Bellamy's slowly waving hand and nodded in reply. "How long till they get back?"

"A day… a little more." Clarke answered her question.

"I'm gonna go burn everything in those jail cells now that they're empty. Really get rid of them."

"You can just throw it out." Clarke told her.

"No, Octavia is right to do so. It will help us cleanse ourselves of the past. Arrange for it all to be brought to the city center. We will burn it all there. We will have a celebration of their departure and bring in new beginnings."

"Sounds good to me."

"How are Lincoln's trainees doing?" Lexa asked.

"Fine. How much longer are we going to do these watches?" Octavia asked with exhaustion in her tone. Lexa had demanded at least one person on watch at all major city entrances day and night since they'd arrived. Lincoln and Octavia had led the teams initially and were now responsible for training new recruits and replacements in what to look for and fighting techniques just in case. Nothing had been spotted thankfully, but Lexa was right to want to be prepared. Lincoln, Indra and Octavia were also responsible for keeping the army together and trained. Octavia's focus was on the Sky People while Lincoln and Indra worked with the other clans and their generals to combine fighting techniques, weapons and survival skill lessons to make sure that if anyone did try to take the city to war, they'd be ready.

"Indefinitely. It will get easier now that the winter is over and our focus should be on building shelters and towers at each of the main watch points. "We must not get complacent. We must always be prepared for a war even if we are lucky enough to find ourselves in a time of peace."

"Fine, but it would be nice if Lincoln and I could have just a few days off every now and then. That's all I'm saying." She turned to walk away.

Lexa released Clarke's hand and took Octavia's instead holding it up and then clasping it in her other.

"Atami spoke to me this morning."

"Oh crap. She wasn't-"

"Train our warriors and when the time comes, you will have all the time off you need."

"That's not what I meant." Octavia clarified.

"I know, but it is necessary."

"What are you two talking about?" Clarke asked and watched as Octavia pulled back her hand.

"Nothing. Atami shouldn't have said anything. I don't want anyone to know yet. I just told Lincoln yesterday. I-"

"Oh my God, you're…" Clarke pieced it together. "But the test? Lincoln can't-"

"I talked to your mom, Clarke. She retested Lincoln's blood. It turns out it was possible all along. Just a very slim possibility. 3-5% from what Abby could gather with limited supplies and tests. I guess Carolina just didn't like those odds so she told us Lincoln couldn't have kids or maybe it was just a part of her crazy plan to get us to couple off with them instead of each other. I don't know." Octavia filled in. "But here I am."

Clarke smiled and brought her in for a hug.

"Congratulations."

"Not exactly a planned thing and it's not a good time, I know." Octavia shared.

"Octavia, it's great news." Clarke confirmed. "I'm so happy for you two. How far along?"  
"Abby says between 14-16 weeks." Octavia supplied.

"You can't fight anymore, Octavia. You should be resting. We can find you something else to do while-"

"Clarke, I don't want any special treatment. I just want to do my job for as long as I can, which from what Abby tells me won't be for that long anyway." Octavia shrugged. "I'm going to get back to that job and make sure we're setup for the watch. Let me know if you hear anything from Bell."

"We will." Lexa told her.

"I can't believe she's pregnant." Clarke revealed.

"The birth of a child will serve to solidify our-"

"Lexa-" Clarke interrupted. "Octavia and Lincoln are having a baby. It doesn't have to be about the city or the people. It can just be about them."

Lexa smiled at her. Clarke ran her hand along Lexa's cheek, admiring the woman in front of her. Lexa had lost most of the signs that she had once been the commander of old. She wore the more traditional garb of the people of the city. She'd put away the black war paint and rarely carried a sword. She only walked escorted to major events and that was more for appearances than safety. The people supported Clarke and Lexa's leadership. They supported the government they'd created from nothing. They supported the vision of the future.

"You are right. It is great news for them." Lexa acquiesced.

Clarke took another look at the plane. It was high in the air, reaching for the clouds. All remnants of their troubles upon arrival were gone. She took in a deep, but light breath feeling all tension leave her body and she dropped her hand down to take Lexa's. As she held it, she toyed with the ring that had been there for many months.

"I'm ready now."

Lexa's facial expression read shock as she connected with Clarke's eyes. A smile spread across her face.

"The celebration upon Bellamy's return? I assume you'd want him there."

"Yes." Clarke smiled back.

"Should we confess to the city that we-"

"No." Clarke interjected. "For all they'll know, we're just holding a more public ceremony."

She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Lexa's.

"I worried the day would never come." Lexa confessed.

Clarke pulled back enough to look at her.

"The day was always going to come." She leaned back in and kissed Lexa gently at first until her hand went to the back of her head and pulled in her for a deeper connection. She didn't care about anyone around that might be watching them or the fact that marrying Lexa this quickly undoubtedly meant a lot of work would have to be done in the next couple of days and that she didn't really need the public celebration. She just needed to make it official. Lexa belonged to her and she belonged to Lexa. They would celebrate it with the city because, as leaders, that was their duty. When they finally separated and began walking back toward their shared home, they walked past the sign they'd placed at the city's entrance several months prior. "Welcome to Destiny: New Hope for the New World."


End file.
